Ghost of an Uncertain Future
by angelfreak2008
Summary: As a child, Rin watched Sesshomaru die. Haunted by nightmares of his death, Rin desparately searches for answers. Years later, she finds a way to prevent his death from ever happening, but at what cost?
1. Chapter 1

-1Author's Note: This is my first fan fiction. I have read some wonderful stories, but I hadn't seen anything like what I had in mind. So…I though it would be fun to try my hand at story telling. I hope you enjoy this.

Chapter 1: Farewell

A cool breeze molded the kimono around the little girls body, but she didn't appear to notice. Fall was her favorite time of the year. The leaves were a brilliant orange, yellow and red as the wind tossed them around like so many brightly colored snow flakes. Dancing through the swirling leaves, Rin smiled at her beloved demon lord who was currently watching her out of the corner of his eye. Rin loved her lord with her whole being, she would have done anything, given anything, even her life, if it would just make him happy. But for now she was just happy to be near him. The demon lord on the other hand was considering if Rin actually remembered how to walk. Rin hopped, Rin skipped, Rin jumped, leaped and ran, but Rin did not walk. With an inward sigh Sesshomaru decided he had had as much gleeful exuberance as he could take for one day.

"Rin, we will camp here for the night. Stay with Jaken until I return." He commanded, much to Jaken's dismay.

"Lord Sesshomaru, where are you going?" Jaken screeched.

One glance was all it took to stop the annoying toad from whining any further. The toad had a very developed sense of preservation, and knew when bodily harm was imminent.

As Sesshomaru turned to leave something odd about the sky caught his attention. Stopping and looking up he watched as the clouds, that had been bright and cheery a moment ago, abruptly turned a stormy gray so dark as to almost appear black. The wind kicked up blowing the long strands of silver white hair around him as he watched lightening flash back and forth through the clouds.

Feeling a slight tug on his sleeve, Sesshomaru looked down to see Rin nervously gripping the silk of his sleeve.

"There is no need to worry" He informed her.

"I'm not worried." Rin assured him, but there was no trace of her usual smile.

"Hn." She received in response.

Resuming his scrutiny of the clouds, Sesshomaru was not as unconcerned as he appeared. The clouds had moved in too fast to be a natural occurrence. Something was wrong, he could feel it in the air.

"Lord Sesshomaru! what's that?!" Rin cried pointing toward the far end of the clouds.

Directing his gaze to where Rin was pointing, Sesshomaru noticed a small dark object separate from the clouds and rapidly advance in their direction.

"Rin, get back. Stay close to Ah-Un and don't move until I tell you." Sesshomaru instructed Rin as he moved forward to greet whatever was approaching.

"Yes my lord" Rin called back as she ran to where the large dragon waited behind them.

Rin watched her lord turn to meet the oncoming object with same indifferent expression he always wore when facing down potential danger. Although Rin knew her lord was the most powerful demon alive and nothing could possibly ever defeat him, she couldn't shake the feeling of dread as the thing got closer.

Narrowing her eyes against the wind, Rin could start to make out the shape of the thing coming at them. It was shaped like a similar to a man, but it was very dark, as though covered in some sort of metal. The hair, at least she thought it was hair, looked silver. but not the same metallic look as the body, and it had what appeared to be wings. It was by far the strangest thing she had ever seen. Turning her attention back to the demon lord, she could see him drawing his sword and waiting calmly as the creature came into range, probably planning to finish it with one sweep.

The creature was getting closer and moving at an incredible speed. Lord Sesshomaru drew back his sword preparing to strike. The creature seeing this smiled and dived directly for the demon lord.

Rin shivered and drew closer to AhUn. The thing was going toward her lord but it had been looking at her. It was watching her, why?

Sesshomaru seeing that he had the creatures undivided attention, released powerful waves of energy with one sweep of his sword. Returning the sword to it's sheath, the demon waited for the inevitable demise of the unknown adversary. A moment later his golden eyes widened in disbelief as the creature dived through the energy waves as though they weren't there. A second later the creature hit him. Perhaps hit isn't the best description. It moved through him like phantom, coming to stop in front of Rin, who was now cowering behind the dragon.

Sesshomaru felt a numbing coldness sweep through his body, but his only thought was to destroy the creature that had dared try to harm one who belonged to him. Snarling, the demon gave into the rage boiling up inside of him, his golden eyes changing to red as the sheer power of the beast within whipped around him, lifting the heavy silvery hair as the energy swirled around him in tornado like winds.

The creature turned it's gaze back toward the demon, curious as to sudden increase in power. Strangely, the creature appeared curious but not afraid. A small smile quirked the corner of it's mouth as it watched the changing form of the demon.

Jaken, who had been hiding up until now, hissed to Rin " Get out of there, stupid girl!"

Rin abruptly came out the terrified stupor she had been in and raced over to where the little green toad was indicating, still shaking as she ran. She had gotten a good look at the creature when it had stopped in front of her. The creature didn't look like either a human or a demon. The body which was definitely male, was covered in some sort of ornate dark armor, confirming her original impression. It did indeed have hair, but it gleamed, impossibly bright, like molten silver. Although basically human in form it was more delicate than a human would be, yet that didn't disguise the unnatural eeriness of it, or the frightening strength lying just below the surface. What it might be or where it came from she could only guess. The most disturbing thing was how beautiful the thing was. Even though it appeared to be male, beautiful was the only word that came to mind. Until now she had always thought her lord was most gorgeous thing alive. Still, no matter what it looked like, it had been the eyes that had truly terrified her. They were completely silver, with no pupils. In those eyes was something so inhuman it chilled her to the bone.

"Rin! Hurry!" Jaken hissed at her.

Rin finally reached Jaken and gratefully sank to her knees beside him.

"Master Jaken, do you know what that is?" Rin asked, looking at the creature in question.

"No, but it's not a demon." Jaken replied.

"Are you sure?" Rin asked. She hoped maybe she was wrong about it being unnatural.

"I've seen many things while traveling with lord Sesshomaru, but I've never seen anything like that." Jaken replied. He was worried, his lord was not looking so good. Even as he was starting to change into his beast form, Jaken could tell something was wrong. Sesshomaru was moving stiffly as though every movement was difficult.

Jaken couldn't have been more right. The coldness that had swept through Sesshomaru after the creature touched him was increasing. Even with the increased power of his beast he couldn't shake the coldness. It was almost paralyzing. And the creature. It just stood there watching him with it's eerie silver eyes. Why didn't it move, attack? It just stood there, like it knew it had won. The demon lord returned it's stare, challenging it. Did this thing think it had beaten him? He, Sesshomaru, was not so easily defeated. With a surge of power the transformation began.

Rin, hiding beside Jaken, felt the surge of power as her lord began to transform. A movement from the creature drew her attention. It was no longer standing silently watching. She could sworn it looked like it was enjoying itself as it turned slightly lifting it's arm parallel to the ground. Cupping it's hand, palm side up, it brought the hand back toward it's mouth and blew gently, causing a glittering black dust to fly toward lord Sesshomaru. The black dust was quickly drawn into the winds swirling around the powerful demon, covering him in the glittering black particles. His transformation immediately halted as Sesshomaru fell to his knees with an agonized gasp. Rin's horrified cry went unheeded as Sesshomaru's body darkened to a mottled blackish gray color that spread rapidly from his torso outward to his arms, legs and face.

The creature, evidently deciding the demon was no longer of any interest turned back to the girl, only to find itself far to close to a small smelly green toad, who was currently pointing an oddly curved stick at him. Stepping back slightly to get a better look at this new foe, the creature cocked it's head to one side.

Jaken in a moment of unheard of self-sacrifice pointed his staff at the creature and called on the flames residing within.

"How dare you harm my lord Sesshomaru! Do you think I am harmless because I am just a mere servant?" Jaken squawked in his most menacing voice. " Think again!"

Jaken released the staff's power with an impressive roar of fire.

The creature watched with interest as the little green toad waved the stick about menacingly, while screeching in a horribly high pitched voice. After much waving and shouting, fire shot from the stick. As flames engulfed the creature, instead of the expected scream of pain, the unnatural thing seemed to be enjoying itself. Of course the fact that it wasn't burning may been the reason for the lack of screaming. The creature lifted it hand, watching the flames race along it's skin and them turned it's silver gaze back to toad and smiled.

Jaken, his courage spent, fainted.

Seeing the toad was out cold, the creature turned back to the girl once more. Tired of playing, the creature motioned to the dragon to move away. The dragon tried valiantly to resist the mental command but lost to a creature to whom mental control was as natural as breathing. With nothing left to defeat the creature walked to the cowering child. Stopping in front of her he extended one graceful hand.

Rin fought the desire to take the creatures offered hand. The desire was not coming from her. Rin knew it was the creature clouding her mind, but as the fear slid away, she reached up and placed her small had in his. Seeing the creatures smile, she knew she just lost an important battle, but couldn't remember why.

The great demon lord of the western lands watched helplessly as Rin, placed her small hand in the creatures. She turned and looked at him one last time as the creature picked her up. As the cold darkness spread to Sesshoumaru's eyes, the last thing he saw was Rin's blank unblinking stare watching him as the life drained from his body.


	2. Chapter 2

Authors note: Hi everyone, I hope you have enjoyed the story so far. I need to do a bit a back ground to explain what happened to Rin and to introduce my own character, from the first chapter, in more detail. Thank you for your reviews. If you like this, let me know.

Chapter 2: Nightmares

An anguished scream rent the night air, echoing down the silent halls that lie just beyond the chamber door. The horrifying images jolting her wide awake. Panting and shaking she lifted one pale hand to her face, covering her eyes, trying to will away the too vivid images.

"Who are you?" She whispered to herself. The pale face with magenta streaks and a blue crescent moon still sharp in her mind's eye. "Why won't you leave me be? I don't know you." She hissed in frustration. These nightmares were becoming all to common.

"Rin." She murmured. "Why did you call me Rin? " Disturbed and confused she decided perhaps some fresh air would be helpful. Clear the mind, and hopefully the faces she kept seeing when she closed her eyes. Nodding to herself, in approval of this plan, she opened the door into the hallway.

"Nightmares?"

Of course, there was no way Kephren had missed that scream. So, here he stood, one hand against the door frame patiently waiting for an answer.

"Kephren, one would think an Imperial Guard, such as yourself, might have more important things to do than wait out side my room." She observed.

His grinned menacingly and leaned forward, long silver hair gleaming dully in the darkness. " Unfortunately, your bloodcurdling scream was the most interesting thing that has happened tonight. It would be remiss of me, not to make sure all was well."

She glanced up, mouth twisting a bit in annoyance. "It wasn't that loud."

Kephren raised one silver eyebrow in disbelief at the absurd statement and shook his head. "You must maintain control over this. If you can't control mere dreams, others will pick up on this, and look to use this weakness to their advantage."

"I know Keff. Don't you think I know this?" She replied irritated, weakness, even perceived weakness could be deadly.

Seeing her tired and distressed expression, Kephren let it drop for the time being. "Come with me." Turning away, without waiting for a reply, he walked with silent grace down the cool dark hall of the unusual looking structure that housed the Imperial Guard. Similar to a palace, one might think, they had stumbled across some forgotten dark fantasy world. Although only death, waited for the one that made that assumption. The people of Talis were the boogie men of old tales. They were the creatures of Nightmares and Shadows, the ones you saw in your darkest dreams. Some called them Dark World, some called them The Cursed. The only thing all races agreed on was that they were evil. When the Dark World armies came, they left only death and destruction in their wake. It was doubtful if any race actually knew what they looked like out side of Talis, as they left no survivors to pass on stories. The Dark World. It was fitting name. The world lay in the far corner of their solar system. The blue sun bathing their world in a sinister bluish light, like moonlight during the day. Talis had no brilliant colors to break up this frightening appearance. To an outsider it might seen like they had landed in a hell that had frozen over. The gleaming black structures housing it's inhabitants, as cold and beautifully dark as it's owners. To this world, Rin had been brought, to survive or die as she chose. Once she had proven her place among these people, she had been give a Talisian name. Thryss.

Thryss, as she was now called, followed meekly, feeling ashamed and frustrated at this lack of control. Normally her control over any aspect of psionics was very good, better than most, actually. So these uncontrollable nightmares were incredibly inconvenient. She continued along this thought path the remainder of the time, until they reached the top level, where you could look out over the land. It was late, so they were the only ones present. Walking over to the edge of the overlook, Thryss sat down on the low wall and stared into the cool night air.

"Tell me about the dream." Kephren requested, drawing her attention as he came to stand behind her.

" It's the same one. Over and over. I am a child, but not here. I don't recognize the land. I am with a man with pale skin, and markings on his cheeks and forehead. In the dream, I watch as one of our people attack and poison him. It's so strange Keff. So many have died by my hand, and yet, the pain I feel at this one death. It's indescribable." Thryss frowned. " Rin. In the dream, I am called Rin."

Kephren sat on the dark reflective floor in front of her and leaned against the wall. Using his bent knee to support his elbow, he propped his chin up in one slender hand and looked up at her. He said nothing, just sat there silently. Reaching out his free hand he slid it through her dark hair, watching as it slid through his fingers. "Perhaps these are memories, not merely dreams." He mused tilting his head to one side thoughtfully.

"I thought about that." She sighed. "Do you think it's likely?'

"I would like to think these are memories that merely need suppressing, and not just senseless dreams" He said, his hand coming to rest on her cheek.

"The child in the dream, Rin. It's me. If these are indeed memories, why don't I remember anything? " She said half to herself.

"Perhaps because that child no longer exists. These memories are of no use to you." He suggested studying her thoughtfully out of eerie sliver eyes.

"When I came here. Was it possible that I was given a new name?" She wondered.

"It's possible. Your situation is unique. It would stand to reason, that your prior life would be erased." He agreed.

Thryss studied her long time companion thoughtfully. It was ironic that she would find comfort from a creature of the dark world. Yet this was home and had been for as long as she could remember. The people of Talis were a beautiful and deadly race. She had wondered for a long time why she had been brought here, they weren't exactly accepting of outsiders. It was quite a surprise when she came to realize that she carried their blood in her veins. Half-breed. To this day, she still found it difficult to believe. It was unheard of for a creature of the dark world to mate outside it's race. Which made her unique. It wasn't surprising that she had lived her early years elsewhere. She would have been destroyed at birth, had she been born here. Yet all that aside, here she was, living, thriving even, among this most unusual of races. Although it had not been easy. Life on Talis was difficult, and she was no exception.

"Ah, I almost forgot. I have been asked to forward a challenge to you." He said drawing her from her reverie.

"A Challenge" She echoed .

Kephren's lips quirked at the corner as he handed her a slender dagger. Noticing the blank expression, "The young one, new to the guard." He informed her helpfully.

"He thinks to challenge me, an Imperial Guard?' Thryss questioned in disbelief. Although a challenge was the most common way to achieve a desired rank. A new guard member never challenged an Imperial guard. It was suicide.

"He desires your rank." He smirked.

"He will die" She stated flatly. It was a fact. The Imperial Guard were the elite warriors of Talis. The fiercest, the most skilled of the already deadly race "Why didn't you dissuade him? This is foolhardy."

"Because it will be so much fun to watch you rip him apart." He replied innocently, as though it was obvious.

Thryss turned her full attention to Kephren who was obviously waiting for her reaction. She leaned down to run her fingers through his hair, just as he had done to her earlier, then traced the graceful design of the armor where it rested against his ebony skin, so different from her own. Stopping at his collar bone, she could feel the light rise and fall of his chest, proof that he was a living being, not just one more nightmare. It was at times like this she was reminded of how different they really were. Thryss killed without hesitation, but there was no enjoyment for her in it. So unlike her dark world companion.

"You will except the challenge?" He asked rising to his knees, to look her in the eyes, hands resting on either side of her.

Thryss shrugged "Of course." To decline was a sign a weakness.

Kephren's smile almost reached from ear to ear as he heard this, blood thirsty thing that he was. "Excellent!" He cried, jumping to feet and pulling her up with him. "Come, let us enjoy the night for a while longer."

"Keff, what exactly are we to enjoy?" She asked suspiciously.

"Don't question. Just come." He said grinning evilly.

Unexpectedly Kephren let her to the out door hot spring, favored by his kind. Pleasantly surprised, Thryss couldn't help but ask, "You just want to relax?"

"Would you prefer something different?" He questioned, one eyebrow arched.

"No, I prefer to relax also." She answered moving toward the steaming pool. The Imperial Guard did not wear clothing as most races did. If you were deemed worthy of the honor of being part of the Imperial Guard, it was mandatory to be joined with a sentient alloy that acted as armor. The alloy, being sentient, could be controlled and shaped into any form the host desired, be it cloth or armor. Of course, psionic control, played a key roll in bonding with the armor. In her time here, Thryss had seen many a young warrior lose the mental battle against the sentient armor, to die a horrible death. But, this was not a problem either of them had, so it was easy thing to draw the armor into herself while bathing.

Smiling as she sank into the fragrant steaming water, she settle onto a carved ledge and waited for Kephren to join her. The slight rippling of the water alerted her to his presence as he moved to sit beside her. Glancing over in appreciation, she noted the way the steam covered his slender but tightly muscled chest in thousands of tiny shining beads.

"It must be difficult to be around such perfection as myself" He remarked smugly having been watching her out of the corner of his eye.

"The perfection would be much more enjoyable, if only it didn't talk." She quipped without missing a beat.

Kephren snorted in laughter and wrapped a dark arm around her waist so that she could rest her head on his shoulder. His metallic sliver hair drifting against her as the water rippled and swirled with the movement.

Closing her eyes, Thryss was once more greeted with the image of the pale skinned man with the blue crescent moon. Huffing a bit in annoyance at the persistent image, she wriggled closer, trying to get comfortable.

"What is it?" He murmured against her hair.

"I still see the face from my dream. Every time I close my eyes, he's there." She grumbled.

"It's not possible he is more beautiful than I am." Self-confidence was not something Kephren lacked.

"Why does this man haunt me." Her thought was cut off by the feeling of Kephren's lips brushing lightly against hers.

"Forget him" He whispered trailing soft kisses down her neck.

Tilting her head back to allow him better access to her throat, she sighed softly in pleasure at the feather light touch. Satisfied he had sufficiently distracted her, Kephren slid off the stone shelf, his long silver hair sliding against her in a silky caress as he moved to stand in front of her. Thryss watched lazily as he slowly slid his hands, now resting on her hips, up her rib cage, skimming over her breasts, to slide up her neck and bring her lips back for a more sensual kiss. Slowing, teasingly, he moved his lips from the corner of her mouth tracing the line of her bottom lip, enjoying the languid, sensual experience of his lips sliding against the soft skin.

"Lord Sesshomaru, when I die, will you remember me?"

Feeling her abruptly break off the kiss, Kephren leaned back, hands resting against her jaw. Studying her disgruntled expression, he leaned in to murmur softly "Allow me to ease your tension, I am quite good at it"

"Even your touch isn't banishing his face."

"Ah well, I had thought to ease your tension." He remarked easily. "It would seen I did not succeed."

"These images. I am awake and I still see them."

"What did you see?" He asked curiously, once again leaning against the edge of the pool.

"His name."

"Which would be?"

"Sesshomaru"

"An interesting name."

She turned away to stare silently into the night. "I need to know why he is haunting me. There is a reason these images are so vivid. I've had nightmares before, but not like this. I now see them in my waking hours."

"And should you find those answers. What will you do with them?"

Looking back to where he leaned comfortably, "I don't know." She said her brow wrinkling in uncertainty.

"These answers that you so desperately seek. Even if you find them, it changes nothing. You life is here. You can never belong to that world again."

"Why do you say that" She wondered.

"Because it was eradicated at the time you were brought here."

"Eradicated?" This was news to her.

Kephren sighed, deciding a bit of indulgence might help. "As you know, we destroy worlds that are in decline, allowing them to start anew after we have extinguished all existing life." He paused, momentarily, then at her nod he continued "That world had been marked for eradication. It was by chance that I sensed your mixed blood when I was preparing the way for our armies, and was able to get you out before the destruction began."

"Then they really are memories. And it was you. The one who killed the man in my dream, Sesshomaru."

"Yes" He stated. "He did not intend to release you."

"So you killed him" It was a rhetorical question. "I see."

Kephren watched her lift herself out of the pool. Without looking back, she decided " I want you to take me there."

"There is no life there. It is a dead world. What do hope to accomplish?"

"After the challenge tomorrow, I want you to take me there." It was not a request. "I must rid my self of these nightmares. I can't ignore them, so I must face them."

"Ah." Was all the answer she received as she left the room.

A crowd of thousands gathered at the arena. Their cries for blood, frightening in it's ferocity. Thryss stood at the center, calmly waiting for the challenger to arrive. She had chosen to have her armor assume an elegant curving design that made it appear as though she had a diamond encrusted black metal laid into her skin like so much deadly jewelry. Showing without question, she had earned her rank.

Kephren, at her request, stood to her right. His purpose to insure no outside interference would occur. Although it looked like he was enjoying this way to much.

To her left, stood Astarte, Foremost of the Imperial Guard. The ruler of Talis. To officiate the challenge.

The challenger, little more than a child, was approaching from the opposite end of the arena, accompanied by his chosen companion, who would probably just end up cleaning his bloody pieces from the arena floor after he was defeated.

Astarte stepped forward addressing the gathered crowd, who waited anxiously for the blood shed to begin. " Challenge has been issued and accepted. " She loudly declared beginning the event.

"Talisian law states that a challenge may be issued by any party desiring to gain the rank of another, there by advancing to a higher rank and gaining all the respect and power that accompanies said rank. As per Talisian law, the challenge will not end till one of the opponents ceases to live. Upon the death of said opponent, the remaining challenger shall assume rank immediately. Begin" With this said, Astarte walked toward Thryss slowing as she passed " Tear this young one apart. This is an insult to the Imperial Guard. Make sure another will think twice before issuing such as challenge again."

"Understood." Thryss replied as she moved toward her opponent. The child would suffer and die slowly as the Foremost of the Imperial Guard had requested, it was expected of her, and she would not disappoint.

"Come child, let me show you what it means to be Imperial Guard." She grinned cruelly summoning her favored weapons. Similar to an elongated sword with a grip in the middle, it resembled two swords joined at one handle, one blade above the hand and one below. Thryss held one in each hand.

The kid blocked the first blow, but that was about it. The second came in just below knee, ripping through the muscles and tendons. Screaming as white hot pain tore across his knees, the kid managed to jump back and keep his feet under him. Using a sword that looked more traditional, he executed an intricate sweeping move, intending to slice through the torso and slow his opponent.

The kid had some skill, but it wasn't going to help. Avoiding the sweeping cut, Thryss began an intricate dance, designed to inflict the most damage per strike. Gore dripping from her hair and face, she moved in close, banished her weapons and commanded the armor on her hands to lengthen, forming razor sharp, talon like nails. Digging the razor like tails into the boys chest, she grinned, cocked an eyebrow and pulled. Strips of skins came off easily in thin blood ribbons. Not even bothering to shake off the shredded skin, she raked the nails cruelly across his stomach, pulling some intestines along with the skin. Moving back slightly, she paused, to get a better look at her work. Blood was running from the child's shredded flesh, pooling at his feet. Gasping, but still on his feet, he glared defiantly, showing his Talisian heritage. He would not just give up and he was controlling his pain admirably.

"What were you thinking?" She wondered. He hadn't even gotten a scratch on her.

"He said, I should challenge you. I deserved your rank." The kid wheezed.

"Oh?" Thryss raised a questioning eyebrow "Who said you should challenge me?"

"Kephren" The kid hissed furiously.

"Of course" Glancing back at Kephren, who just shrugged , with a small smile playing at the corner of his lips. "And you believed him?" She asked amazed at his gullibility.

"Your not one of us. You don't deserve the honor of being Imperial Guard" He gasped, coughing up some blood while glaring venomously at her.

Thryss didn't bother to answer. She extended a hand, still dripping with his blood, palm side up, feeling an eerie similarity to her nightmares. The kids eyes widened in horrified realization as she pulled the hand toward her lips and blew gently. The black glittering dust fanned out of her hand drifting on the wind toward the kid. Dust, just one of the armors many forms, surrounded the kid, who was no longer able to control his fear. Settling on his skin, it burrowed into him, slowly ripping him, literally, apart from the inside out. As muscle started to separated from bone, the kid whimpered, "How can a half breed have that kind of control?" Dusting, was a difficult technique and few had mastered it. "Why did he tell me to challenge you?" He whispered in confusion, still trying to control the pain as he fell to ground, his legs no longer able to support him.

"Stress relief" Kephren answered, walking over to look down at him. Reaching over to catch a drop of blood running down Thryss' face, he brought the finger to his mouth tasting the blood. Seeing look he was getting from her " I tried a less violent alternative earlier. Since that did not have the desired effect I had to do something else." He said honestly, watching with interest, as the child's gasping, wheezing breath slowed then finally stopped.

Reaching out her hand toward the child whose name would never be remembered, the glittering black particles, rose from the motionless body to absorb back into her skin. Silently studying her gore covered hand as the completion of the challenge was announced.

"Challenge has been completed. " Astarte's proclamation echoed through the stands, was returned by the massive crowd watching with cruel jubilation. So ended one more day of life in the Dark World.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Inyu Yasha.

Chapter 3: Rift

"Stress relief?" Thryss asked incredulously.

"You weren't relieved?" Kephren asked in surprise, oblivious to the fact that there might be anything wrong with the sacrifice of a young warriors life, just for entertainment.

Thryss just shook her head. Oh well, trying to make a Talisian understand the value of life was useless.

"Will we use the same gate I was originally brought through?" She asked, changing the subject.

"Yes, it is the same. Why do you ask?" He wanted to know.

"Just curious."

Gates had always made her nervous. They may be convenient for traveling from world to world, but just the idea of having yourself disassembled on one end. Then shot across a frighteningly long distance, to be reassembled when you reach your predetermined destination, was enough to give her a whole new set of nightmares.

When they had reached the gate, he turned to study her for a moment. "Your uneasy" He surmised.

"Why do you say that?"

"You have been talking incessantly since leaving your chamber. It is a habit that I would have thought you would have learned to control by now." He was rewarded by with a disgruntled scowl, although she didn't deny his observation.

Holding out one slender, dark skinned hand for her to take, Kephren raised one silver eyebrow challengingly. Pushing aside her irrational fears she took his hand, and entered the gate following close behind him.

Hot, dry wind swept across the scorched land. The once lush, beautiful world, now a lifeless, dried up husk. Death and massive destruction evident from the deep scars in the earth. Very little remained to suggest there had ever been life on the world, so complete was it's destruction. This was the result when you attracted the notice of the Dark World, and why their race was deemed evil. How could any race commit such horrors, without hesitation or remorse, and not be evil.

Thryss couldn't help but to silently remark on the striking difference between the world of her dream and this barren and lifeless place. A unwelcome pang of regret caused her turn her attention back to her dark companion,

"Is this where I was when you took me?" She asked.

"No, over there, by those rocks." He pointed.

Walking over to the area he had indicated, she knelt down and scooped up a handful of charred earth letting it sift through her fingers. "how long has it been." She asked in a subdued voice.

"Since the last solar eclipse."

"That long ago? Were these people long lived, like us?" She wondered.

"To my knowledge, they had a fairly short life span." He paused, considering the time frame. "Their life span, if memory serves, was approximately 100 rotations of this world around their sun."

Frowning, "That would mean I have lived about 10 of their lifetimes." She brushed the dust from her hands, a disturbed expression crossing her face. "If I had remained, would I have out lived the others from this world?"

Shaking his head, long silver hair catching the light "I don't believe so. If I hadn't felt the presence of your mixed blood, I never would thought you were other than human. It wasn't until you were exposed to our world, that you showed signs of your Talisian heritage."

Noticing something odd close to rocks he had shown her earlier, Thryss squinted, there appeared to be a disturbance in the air. Going to investigate, she noticed the air was shimmering in an area close to where Kephren had indicated. She reached out to see if she could feel anything."Stop! Don't touch it!" Kephren grabbed her hand, pulling her back, a uncharacteristic expression of alarm on his beautiful face. "It's a rift."

Thryss gasped and moved back a bit more. A rift was a tear in the fabric of time. Dangerous and unpredictable, even the people of the Dark World avoided them. Then a thought crossed her mind unbidden, what if things had been different. A ghostly memory of the man with the magenta markings and blue crescent moon, and a small child, smiling and dancing amid brightly colored leaves flashed before her eyes. Looking back at the lifeless world, she made a decision.

"Keff, if I can hold the image from my dream. Can I get there?"

His horrified silver eyes stared back at her. "You aren't serious?" Taking a breath and resuming his normal calm, he continued. "If you try, and I say IF. There is no guarantee you will end up at your desired location. Even if you do make it there by some miracle, you probably won't make it back. Not to mention if you remain there, it is unknown if you will have created an alternate reality that includes you or if you will change your past and never exist as the person you are now. Are you willing to take that risk?" He demanded.

Her attention no longer on Kephren, she moved toward the rift. "yes." Without another thought about possible consequences, she stepped into it.

Shivering uncontrollably, Thryss struggled into a sitting position and came to the conclusion she was still alive. A brilliant red and yellow leaf drifted lazily into her line of vision. Reaching out to catch it, she studied the foliage that was far more colorful than what she was used to. A soft moan, coming from near by, drew her attention away from the leaf.

"Keff" She whispered. Crawling over to him, she leaned down to move the silver hair from his eyes.

"What was I thinking?" He muttered sounding more disgruntled than she had ever heard him."Did we make it?"

She looked around, "I think so." Turning her gaze back to her puzzling companion, she wondered what had possessed him to follow her. This was a very untalisian like thing to do.

The sound of metal clashing against metal dragged her attention from the puzzle still laying on the ground. Curiosity getting the better of her, she turned back to Kephren, "Do you hear that?"

"What" he grumbled

"The sounds of battle."

Squinting against the horribly bright light of the sun, "If you want to investigate, go."

"You will come with me?" She asked, impatiently.

Not answering, a slender black hand waved her away.

Nodding, Thryss quickly rose to her feet, following the sounds of battle.

"I am an idiot" Kephren said to himself in resignation, as he watched her leave. Resting his hand against his forehead to block out the abnormally bright sun, he groaned and closed his eyes in disgust at his own stupidity. "I am never going to get home."

Making her way through the thick underbrush, Thryss was able to make out two combatants and what appeared to some spectators off to the side.

The highly polished metal of the swords caught the light as the combatants exchanged blows, flashing and shining under the brilliant sunlight. Her eyes widen as she noticed the clothing on the combatant furthest from the spectators. He was dressed in a long white robe of sorts, with red design on the sleeves and shoulder. A large fluffy fur of some kind, lay over one shoulder. She frowned a little while studying the fluffy fur. Talisian's didn't do fluffy.

Moving closer she was able to make out what they were saying. Well she could hear the words, but it had been a long time since she had heard this language. Paying close attention to the words, she concentrated on remembering.

"What's wrong little brother?" The one in white sneered. "Surely, you can at least, dodge my blows!"

"Bring it on! I'm just getting warmed up!" The one in red snarled back.

"Please, do hurry little brother. I should like to finish this before I turn old and gray" The one in white mocked.

Apparently to upset to to think straight, the one in red rushed forward blindly. Running full steam toward his opponent with no obvious plan, he found himself flying backward in an amazingly short space of time to land with a loud and no doubt painful crash. Thryss shook head at such foolishness.

The one in white snorted in derision and turned to walk away. The one in red, seeing this show of disrespect shouted angrily, while stumbling to his feet and waving his unbelievably huge sword. Not that it did any good. The only answer he got was retreating back of the one in white.

Somewhat bemused over this bizarre battle, Thryss started off in the direction that the warrior in white had taken. He looked so much like the man in her nightmare that she wanted a closer look.

Now that the sound of his imbecilic brother, crashing to ground, was behind him, Sesshomaru allowed himself a small smile at the extremely loud and outraged noise that was fading as he distanced himself from his unwanted sibling. He probably shouldn't give in to the ridiculous urge to watch the half-breed make a total fool out of himself. It was just so satisfying to watch him rush in blindly, without even the inkling of plan, only to find himself, once again getting to know dirt, up close and personal. You would think he would learn. Of course, if today was any indication, that wasn't going to happen anytime in the near future. Lost in this diverting thought, it took a him few minutes to realize he was being followed. The fact it was human, was probably the reason it took so long for it to come to his notice. Humans barely registered with the demon lord, they were no threat.

Catching Rin's scent on the wind, the demon lord groaned inwardly as the somewhat disturbing image of bright yellow flowers flitted through his mind. No doubt there was some kind of emergency involving flowers, butterflies, or baby bunnies that she would have to bring to his attention. Jaken would not be pleased when his lord got around to explaining to him the importance of obedience, especially when it involved maintaining said lord's peace of mind. Signing in resignation he called out to her.

"Rin, why are you not with Jaken?" He asked, not bothering to turn around. Receiving no answer, "I know you are there, it is no use hiding." He assured her.

"Rin, I have not been called that name in long time." Answered an unfamiliar voice.

Golden eyes widening in surprise, Sesshomaru turned to find him self staring into a pair of extraordinarily dark, emotionless eyes that definitely did not belong to the child he had expected.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:Ghost

The gentle breeze rustled through crisp, dry leaves at the human's feet. Perfectly still, she regarded him in silence, as though waiting for something. Skin so pale, it looked washed in moonlight, was sharply contrasted by black hair that shone like a raven's wing. Yet it was her dark soulless eyes, that prevented him from turning around and walking away. Unlike anything he had ever seen, they were utterly devoid of expression.

"You are called Sesshomaru, are you not?" She asked.

Insulted at the absolute absence of fear coming from this human, he asked, "Who are you to use my name, human?" with stress on the final word.

"As you said. I am Rin." She answered, still without any evidence of fear.

Not wanting to waste his time with this strange human despite his growing curiosity, the demon turned to walk away. "I have no time for this foolishness." He abruptly informed her. Oddly, he was still detecting Rin's scent, how could that be? She must be nearby. She had to be, he realize, as his senses were never wrong.

Resuming his original course, Sesshomaru realized in annoyance that she was following him. He wondered if she was unbalanced? After all, following a demon lord uninvited, could only end in disaster.

"Why are you still following me?" He demanded. " Do you wish me to relieve you from the boredom of your useless life?" He turned back to face her, preparing to do just that.

"You don't recognize me." She said looking slightly surprised.

"Why do you think I'd remember one worthless human?" He came to stand before her less than a hair's breath away. His claws glowing eerily green with their deadly acid-like poison. His patience with this game was growing thin.

Instead of the terrified scream and/or removal of herself he had expected, the woman reached up with a pale hand to touch his face. "Perhaps I was mistaken" she murmured.

It took about five seconds for Sesshomaru to overcome his stunned disbelief at this unpresidented presumption. Grabbing her wrist roughly, he pulled the impertinent hand from his face. "Do you truly wish for death so much?" To which the human stupidly replied, "I had no plans to die today."

With arrogant flick of his wrist he sent her stumbling back a few steps. "Be thankful human, that I haven't time to free you from your pathetic life." With this said, the demon lord's long silvery-white hair flipped back over his shoulder as he wheeled around, irritation evident in the stiffness of his movement. The white silk of his clothing snapped out at his abrupt departure. Feeling unadmittedly disgruntled that there was still no trace of fear in those dark eyes, Sesshomaru sped up his pace to distance himself from the annoying, confusing human.

Thryss watched the warrior with the magenta stripes and blue crescent moon walking away as quickly as dignity would allow him. It was definitely him, the one from her nightmare, but he didn't recognize her. She knew she shouldn't be surprised; after all, his Rin was still a child. Yet she felt strangely disappointed.

"Why didn't you kill him?" Kephren asked coming out from behind the grouping of trees where he had been listening to their conversation.

"It is not his time." Actually, Thyss didn't intend to kill him, but Kephren wouldn't be happy with that answer.

"You can't save him." Kephren said narrowing his silver eyes suspiciously.

"Why not?" It just slipped out. Thyrss inwardly grimaced.

"You wish for him to live?" He asked incredulously.

"I am not sure what I want." Thryss admitted. "After so many years of seeing his face in my nightmares, I have the possibility of answering the questions that have plagued me all my life."

"He is not worth your time." Kephren sneered. "That arrogant fool stood nose to nose with one of the deadliest individuals in existence and was totally oblivious. Ending that one's life would be a kindness." Moving behind her to place his slender dark hands on her shoulders, he leaned in close, his long metallic silver hair sliding against her in a silken caress and whispered "Please."

"His time has not arrived. Until his time does arrive, you are not touch to him Keff. Is that understood?"

Kephren snorted in disgust as he moved away, but didn't argue. Crouching to get a better look at the ground, he frowned and looked up at Thryss. In his hand he held some kind of soft green foliage. "This world does not look to be in decline" his tone was puzzled as he studied the soft plant, his silver eyebrows drawn together in consideration.

"Master Jaken! Looook!" Rin squealed right into the little green toad's ear, holding a bright yellow flower up for his perusal.

Jaken, sensitive little demon that he was, yelled back, "Are you trying to deafen me?" While rubbing his abused ear vigorously.

Not daunted in the least, Rin danced around in front of the exasperated toad, happily waving the prized yellow flower above her head. "But Master Jaken, this flower only blooms once a year! And I found it!" Rin explained, just to make sure he really understood the importance of the flower. "Do you think Lord Sesshomaru will like it?" She was a little concerned, her lord wasn't really a flower person.

Jaken grunted in disgust. "What would the great Lord Sesshomaru want with a silly flower?"

Rin sniffed disdainfully "You just wait. I am sure he will like it."

Rin decided that Jaken was grumpy because he didn't have any flowers of his own. Struck at this revelation, she clapped her hands and ran off in the direction of the field where she had such luck earlier. She totally missed the anxious expression that was now gracing the toad's ugly face at the thought of a 'lovely' flower necklace being strung around his neck to make him 'happy'.

Sesshomaru returned to find Jaken's worst nightmare come true as a smiling, laughing human girl tied, tucked and arranged the very bright and varied flowers on the very unhappy demon toad. Between her dancing and hopping, Rin stopped, stood a little back to look over her handiwork, and declared "Master Jaken you look beautiful!"

"Indeed, a vast improvement." Sesshomaru agreed, exhibiting no visible trace of humor, although he was throughly enjoying the toads discomfiture. The stress Rin caused the toad was almost reason enough in itself for allowing her to travel with them. His happy thought was abruptly shattered by the appearance of a bright yellow flower under his nose, or at least as close to his nose as Rin could reach.

"Lord Sesshomaru! Welcome back! Look what I found for you. This flower only blooms once a year and I wanted you to have it." Rin said, smiling her gap-toothed smile.

Thinking quickly "I believe that flower will complete the transformation you have performed on Jaken." The demon lord answered, feeling quite pleased with himself as Rin rushed back to Jaken's side, flower in hand.

"My Lord" the toad cried piteously. "Have mercy on your humble servant."

"Hn" The pitiless demon lord replied.

Jaken, having finally survived the war of the flowers, set about starting the evening fire.

Rin twirled, her arms flung wide, and danced about. Coming to a stop in front of the demon lord, she asked respectfully."My lord, I am hungry. May I go to stream and catch some fish?"

"You may go. See that you don't take too long." He acquiesced.

"Yes, my lord!" Rin sang as she skipped toward the stream.

A few minutes later, Rin stood at the edge of a crystal clear stream, teeming with fish. Humming and smiling, she splashed noisily into the water, intent on catching dinner. Looking up as the latest fish eluded her grasp, she noticed a strangely dressed woman close by, who appeared to be looking into the water. The woman reached out a slender pale hand, and dipped her fingers into the clear water watching as it glided around them.

"What are you doing?" Rin asked, too curious to be afraid.

The woman looked at her and Rin felt a chill go through her, like when a spirit trails it's fingers across your neck.

"Who are you?" The woman asked not answering Rin's question.

"I'm Rin." She answered smiling cheerfully. "If you are trying to catch a fish, you doing it all wrong."

"Oh?"

"Here, I'll show you." Pulling back one checkered sleeve, Rin crouched at the edge of the stream, hand poised to strike, as she waited for the perfect fish. Spotting her prey, Rin waited till just the right moment and dove her little hand into the water, coming up with a wildly wiggling fish grasped tightly in her fist. "See it's easy."

"You are very talented." The woman complimented her. "I fear I will not do as well."

Rin studied the woman critically. "Your clothes are very strange. Where are you from?" She asked, straight and to the point.

"I am very far from home, I do not believe you will have heard of it." She answered.

"Well, where are staying?" Rin asked frowning.

The woman looked up at the clear blue sky and quietly said "I do not know. It is not important."

"Not important! What if demons find you?"

"Demons?" The woman asked unconcerned.

"Don't you know what demons are?" Rin couldn't believe that there was anyone who didn't know what demons were.

"I have never heard of them."

Rin huffed at the inexperience of this poor woman, who would be left at the mercy of the elements and whatever demons might come across her. "I will bring you back with me. You can't stay out here, all alone, at night." She declared.

The woman blinked in surprise and then nodded in acceptance.

"First I have to catch a few more fish" Rin said as she moved to stream, pushing back her sleeves.

Thryss followed the small child in a state of bemusement. It wasn't every day that you had a conversation with your younger self. It had been quite disconcerting when she had realized this sunny, cheerful child was Rin. It was difficult to believe that she could have ever been that unwary or innocent.

Not exactly sure what to say to her younger self, Thryss obediently trailed behind the child. Rin had decided it was too dangerous for her to remain out here all alone, demons or wild animals might get her. Somewhat amused, Thryss reflected that she wouldn't be the one in danger.

It didn't take long, just a few minutes and Thryss could see the flickering light of Jake's campfire. Rin motioned her forward to meet the others. Coming into the light of the fire, the demon lord was either unaware of her presence or was simply ignoring it.

"Rin! You foolish child! What are you thinking bringing another human back with you?" The toad asked in horror.

"But, Master Jaken, I couldn't just leave her all alone in the woods." Rin exclaimed.

"Why not?" The toad asked, obviously not agreeing.

"She might be eaten by wild animals or meet up with an evil demon." Rin retorted heatedly.

"It is a bit too late to worry about the evil demons." Sesshomaru remarked calmly, from where he reclined against a nearby rock. It was looking as though his curiosity about the human was going to be satisfied.

"My Lord, do you know this human." Jaken ventured to ask. Getting no answer, the toad hazarded an additional, "My Lord?" He was doomed to disappointment as the the demon lord abandoned his position against the rock and prepared to leave.

Indicating that Thryss was to follow him, Sesshomaru headed back into the woods. "Rin, remain with Jaken until I return."

"Yes my lord!" Rin chirped back.

"I wonder if he is going to kill her." Jaken muttered to himself as he watched them leave.

"Jaken, that's so mean!" Rin screeched in an angry, high pitched voice, that galvanized the toad into frantically covering his ears.

Thryss watched the rays of rising moon catch the demon lords hair, each stride causing it to shimmer and sway as the moonlight caught the thick strands. Coming to a stop, close to where Rin had been catching dinner earlier, he turned to face her, narrowing his golden eyes in displeasure.

"I believe it is time you told me why you have been following me." He stated expressionlessly, the cool night air sending the white silk of his clothing drifting gently toward her.

"I came in search of answers." She stated simply.

"Explain." The demon lord demanded impatiently.

"I have seen you in my dreams since I was a child." Thryss pondered the best way to explain this unusual situation. "When I saw you in battle, I realized you were the one from my dream."

"You followed me because of a dream?" This didn't appear to sit well with him.

Having nothing to add, Thryss nodded, her dark hair blowing into her eyes. Pulling the offending hair back she noticed the demon lord was looking rather murderous.

"Leave." The demon commanded, conversation was obviously not his strong point.

"I think not." Thryss answered.

That brought Sesshomaru to a sudden stop. His golden eyes narrowed to angry slits at this brazen disregard of his command. "Then die." He hissed. Extending his hand he summoned the glowing green whip that resided within him. With a small swift flick of his hand, the whip lashed out. A thing of pure energy, the whip could slice through sold rock as easily as a hot knife passed through butter. Intending to remove the head of this insolent human, he directed the deadly weapon at the small pale figure standing helpless before him.

The whip stopped and did not return, and he saw a sight he had thought impossible. The small fragile human, her right hand covered in some kind of black armor, holding his whip. Sesshomaru blinked in utter shock.

Seeing she had his attention, Thryss released the whip, allowing it to return to him. Sighing ruefully, "If you will not speak with me, I will have to show you." She said as she walked toward him.

Reaching out with her mind, she forced him to his knees. His height made this position more convenient for what she intended to do. Holding him motionless she placed her fingers on either side of his face, with her thumbs resting on his temples she threaded her fingers into his long hair. His

expression of indignant outrage might have been comical if the situation hadn't been so dire.

Knowing that he wasn't going to like any of this, Thryss explained,"I wish I had a better way to convince you, but time is short. For the record, your senses are not wrong. I am Rin; or perhaps it's better to say I am a ghost of what she could be if things aren't changed. I would prefer not to watch you die again." Thryss leaned forward slightly, she rested her forehead against his and locked eyes with him. Uttering the ancient Talisian command, she gave him her nightmare "See what I see, know what I know."

Sesshomaru found himself watching the events unfold as a spectator, unable to say or do anything, yet still able to feel and see what her mind projected to his.

He was Rin screaming in terror as he died at the hands of a creature he could not name, anguish in her cries, crippling in it's intensity.

He saw Jaken stand in front of Rin, defending her against the same unknown creature that had killed his lord, knowing he couldn't win, but doing it anyways, fear, determination, and sacrifice battled within the toad.

He watched the creature approach and place Rin in thrall, was taken with her to a world that knew only death and destruction, to be raised as one of their own. He felt the humanity slip away as the years passed until she became like one of them, a killer, coldly cruel.

He then felt cold wash over him as he watched himself die, having failed all those that had depended on him.

Trapped in the memory transfer he saw how this beautiful world he called home, would have died. It was a vision so horrible that he wanted to close his eyes and banish the nightmare from his thoughts. Looking around he saw the deep scars of the battle that had left open wounds in the earth. The lush foliage replaced by a barren wasteland that smelled of death. He could feel the hot dry air pressing in on him, the dried dust at his feet lifting with the wind to drift along the surface of the desiccated earth, nothing surviving to change it's course. Earth devoid of all life, just the dried up husk of a dead world. Sesshomaru felt agony at the loss of all he held dear. Held a captive in the mind transfer he could only observe and experience a future too terrible to contemplate.

Finally Thryss pulled away. Sesshomaru's golden eyes were wide in horror, a single tear ran down his right cheek, leaving shining trail running across the magenta markings. The great demon lord of the western lands, who had never in life shed a tear, cried for his lost world.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:An Uncertain Future

Sesshomaru knelt frozen in shock, appalled at the ghastly images he had been shown. Leaning forward he dug his claws into the soft forest floor, willing away horrific images. The moonlight making his pale hair glow softly as it pooled beneath his bowed head. As the images cleared, an all consuming rage took their place.

Looking up through the silvery-white strands, the demon lord growled deep in his throat. As his rage intensified, energy swept outward in a rush, stirring the leaves on the surrounding ground. Red began to bleed into the gold of his eyes as the beast inside demanded retribution. This human would pay. With that thought he launched himself at the seemingly delicate figure that stood calmly before him.

"My Lord, please don't kill her!" Rin cried, standing between the woman and the raging demon. Sesshomaru pulled up short, his claws just barely missing the child.

"Rin, what are you doing here?" The demon lord asked, his eyes fading to gold, his fury leashed and under control.

"Please My Lord. Don't kill her, it was my fault; I told her to come with me!" Rin whimpered piteously.

Huffing and puffing, the demon toad, running as fast as his stubby legs would allow, broke into the clearing. "Rin!" He wheezed, "Foolish girl, what are you thinking?!" Jaken stopped and bent over to place warty green hands on his legs, gasping for breath.

Jaken quailed as he caught sight of the look his lord was giving him. "Jaken, why was Rin not with you?" The demon demanded.

"My Lord, forgive this poor toad." He groveled, shoving his beak-like nose into the dirt. "The child ran from me, distressed at the fate of that worthless human over there, and I was not able to catch her." The toad tried to raised one bulging eye to gauge his lords mood, but said lord's foot on his head, was making it difficult.

"Make sure it doesn't happen again, Jaken." Sesshomaru's voice was dangerously quiet. Turning to Rin, he said "You need not fear, stay with Jaken and AhUn until I return." Seeing the tears that were beginning to spill over, Sesshomaru signed. "I am not angry with you Rin. You were right to be concerned for your guest."

Rin smiled brightly, all was right with the world once again, "Yes, My Lord!" She chirped and skipped over to where Jaken was still burying his beak-like nose in the ground. "Master Jaken, are you stuck?" She wrapped her chubby arms around his legs and pulled. Jaken's beak popped out of the ground, and both toad and child tumbled backward in a heap.

"Rin!" He squawked "I need to apologize to Lord Sesshomaru after my failure. Now I have to start all over again!" He whined. With this said, the toad prepared to grovel further, only to find his lord turning to leave.

Thryss watched this whole fiasco, shock and amusement warring for dominance within her. The demon striking out after the memory transfer was no surprise, but the child placing herself between them was. Thryss had been about to disarm the demon's poisoned claws, when he drew back at the sight of the child. She was intrigued. He seemed to hate humans, yet despite his overwhelming rage, he had stopped himself from harming the child.

She was so lost in thought, that it startled her when Sesshomaru stepped close, his arm moving to encircle her waist. Stopping at the pointed look he was receiving, he calmly explained. "I have some questions for you and I do not wish to be disturbed again." He said, looking toward the still groveling demon toad.

"Why would this necessitate embracing me?" She asked lifting her eyebrows.

Gathering his energy beneath them in a cloud-like substance, he lifted them off the ground. Allowing her to flail about for moment, before steadying her.

"So you don't fall off" He told her dryly, receiving a sour look for his efforts.

As Sesshomaru moved them toward the mountains, Thryss, interested in the passing landscape, leaned forward against his arm. "If you desire a closer look, I can remove my arm." He remarked with what sounded suspiciously like humor.

Sesshomaru, having overcome his blinding rage, was now able to see a bit of humor in this ludicrous situation. Studying the troublesome human he was holding, he realized without doubt she was indeed Rin. The scent was strong and the child was nowhere near. This, in and of itself, was worthy of further investigation. Noticing her dark eyes were observing him, he found himself wondering what had caused those eyes to be so devoid of all human emotion.

"Those images. They were real?' He questioned.

"They are what could be."

"Explain." It was not a request.

"You know that I am Rin." She stated.

"Yes, no two creatures have the same scent." He commented.

"In my past, I saw you die when I was the age Rin is now." She began.

Sesshomaru interrupted "When I first saw you, you said you had not been called Rin, in a long time. What are you now called?"

"I am called Thryss."

He repeated name, considered the peculiar pronunciation of it, then motioned for her to continue.

"I have been gone from this land for a long time, yet I see your face, your death in my dreams. Recently they have become much more frequent for no apparent reason. I traveled to this world in an attempt to find answers." She stopped at the expression now on his face.

"You traveled to this world?" he inquired, doubt evident in his voice.

"You doubt me?" She actually sounded surprised.

"How did you accomplish this?" He asked, obviously skeptical.

"Through a gate." She answered, as though this was obvious.

He momentarily considered dropping her for her insolent tone.

"Ah." He replied, as he waited for to explain this less than helpful answer.

"A gate is like wormhole." Seeing his eyebrows shoot up toward his hairline, she offered an explanation "A wormhole is similar to a tunnel that greatly reduces the travel time between distant places."

Thryss decided to move on, as her explanation had only increased his look of confusion. "At any rate. When I arrived on this world it had already been destroyed. That was what you saw in the memory. While I was there, I came across a rift."

As the eyebrows began to rise again, Thryss obliged him with the definition."A rift is a rip in the fabric of time." Now he was looking at her like she was insane.

Not desiring to go anywhere near the 'rift or 'wormhole' subject again, Sesshomaru slowed, approaching a wide ledge that protruded from the side of the mountain. Landing lightly, he released her and moved away.

"You were looking for me. What did you hope to accomplish be finding me?" He inquired, changing the subject.

"To stop the nightmares and find some answers." She replied. "I wanted to know about the world I came from. My only memories are the nightmare that I showed you."

"And when you have your answers, you will return and leave this world to continue on it's predetermined path to destruction?" He surmised.

"I cannot stop the armies of Talis" She told him in a subdued voice.

"Talis? You used that name before"

"My home world."

"Hn" Sesshomaru waited impatiently for further details.

Seeing his exasperated look, Thryss continued, "Talisian warriors number in the billions. Although I am Imperial Guard, I am but one. It would be like trying to stem the flow of the ocean with a pebble."

"I see, and have you found your answers?" Walking to one end of the ledge, he looked over the lush valley below. The autumn breeze brought up warm, damp smells of earth and vegetation from below.

Thryss moved to stand beside him, her eyes directed along his line of vision. "I have only found more questions." She admitted.

"What will you do?" he wanted to know.

"Until I find what I am searching for, I will remain with you." She decided.

"If I permit you to." He corrected her. He hooked his arm back around her waist and set out in the direction they had come from.

As the cloud moved silently and smoothly, Thryss indulged her curiosity "What does this cloud consist of?" She asked, poking the toe of her black boot into the fluffy white stuff.

"Demonic energy." He answered ignoring the toe poking at his gathered energy.

The demon lord examined the exceeding strange clothing she wore. The pants were fitted from the waist to the hips, but widened down the legs allowing easy movement. The top was similar to a tunic but with no visible fastening. The entire outfit was made of the same smooth black fabric with an odd sheen to the texture. "What manner of fabric is that?"

"It is my armor." She answered, knowing she would get a blank stare if she said 'sentient alloy'.

"This is armor?" His incredulous tone of voice matched the doubtful expression on his face. He grasped a piece of loose material near her waist, feeling it's abnormally smooth texture. "It does not feel like armor." He remarked.

Seeing the look of superiority creeping back into his golden eyes, Thryss quirked a devious little smile and instructed her armor to alter.

Sesshomaru watched in amazement, feeling in his hand the alteration of its structure from soft and supply smooth, to a diamond hard, gleaming black metal, with an elegantly curved design engraved into it. "Interesting" He murmured, studying the metal. "I have never seen anything like it."

"It is from Talis." Thryss informed him.

"Your world." He said, his eyes meeting hers. At her nod, he directed his attention ahead of them and began descending toward the waiting camp.

At their arrival, Rin raced over to greet her lord and ensure her guest was still in one piece. Her smile widen as she noted the noticeable lack of blood on her guest. "Lord Sesshomaru! Welcome back! Dinner is ready, we cooked the fish." She chattered happily, dancing around the demon lord. Transferring her glance to the woman she had invited, she lowered her voice, "Jaken tried to help, but his fingers were too fat to skin the fish. So some of them are kind of squished, but don't say anything." She whispered conspiratorially.

"I heard that! You ungrateful child!" The toad grouched.

The demon lord moved to the rock he has used earlier and once again reclined against it, finally starting to relax for the first time that day. He signed softly, leaning back against the grainy surface of the rock. He tilted his head back, lazily watching the softly twinkling stars.

"Where are you going? You shouldn't go into the woods, it's too dangerous!" Sesshomaru heard Rin exclaim.

"I will return shortly, you need not worry." Thryss told her placidly.

"But..." Rin darted in front of her, bouncing up and down, her eyes round with concern.

"I will be near." Thryss interrupted her.

"Hurry back." Rin instructed her, not looking at all comforted.

The pale form of the demon twisted slightly to watch her departure, wondering what this unpredictable human was up to this time. Feeling exasperated with himself for his unseemly curiosity, he argued with himself about wasting valuable time, but then found himself getting up to follow her.

He had just entered the woods when he heard Rin's scream echoing through the trees. Snapping around toward the sound he saw Jaken running toward him.

Tripping over the hem of his garment in his haste, Jaken stumbled, flailing his arms as he fell, skidding to a halt in font of the demon lord, his beak full of dirt and leaves.

"My Lord, Rin has been taken!" The toad cried.

Already in motion, Sesshomaru lightly sniffed the air. Leaving the toad lying in the dirt, he moved swiftly, a frown marring the perfection of his features. There had been no scent. How could that be?


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Inyu Yasha

Authors Note: Hi everyone. Thank you to those that have been faithful in reviewing so far. As I am new at this, I really appreciate your feedback. Knowing what aspects everyone enjoys would be really helpful as I continue working with this story. Please, please review.

Chapter 6:An unlikely meeting

The dark figure waited silently in the shadows, watching as the others left, leaving its target unprotected. It had precise instructions to carry out and wasted no time as opportunity presented itself.

Moving swiftly with an unearthly silence, it came out of the shadows into the light of the fire.

Rin noticed the creature first. Frighteningly beautiful, it approached with an inhuman grace that was too smooth to be natural. Coming into the firelight, the flames reflected off its brilliant silver hair, like the sunlight off her lord's blade. Its skin was so dark it seemed to absorb the light as it moved. Rin had never seen anything like it. Following her first instinct at this terrifying sight, she screamed.

Rin's scream jerked Jaken bolt upright from where he had been drifting in and out of sleep. Wide awake, his eyes searched frantically for what had caused the child to scream like that. Then he saw the creature. His breath caught in his throat when he caught sight of the unnatural thing. It wasn't a demon. Jaken wasn't sure what it was, and he did not want to stick around to find out.

"Rin, run! Get out of there!" He yelled desperately.

Seeing he had attracted the creature's attention, the toad froze in fear. As the creature turned toward him, Jaken panicked for a moment, before remembering his staff. Grabbing the two-headed staff from the ground, he pointed it toward the creature and released the flames residing within. The creature watched curiously as a burst of fire rushed toward it, then seemed to lose interest as the flames raced over its skin, only to die out leaving no visible damage. With a wave of its hand, a wall of pure energy hit the demon toad, flinging him into the woods. Knowing he was out matched, Jaken raced into the trees, screaming for his lord.

The creature watched as the odd little toad ran into the tree line, then turned back to the girl. Holding out his hand, he sent out a mental command to come, not to fear. Rin, caught in the command, didn't hesitate to take the proffered hand.

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Thryss had just met up with Kephren when she heard the child scream. "That's Rin." She said trying to pinpoint the direction of the scream.

"Your younger self?" Kephren asked.

Thryss nodded. Determining that the scream came from the camp, she darted off with Kephren at her heels.

Arriving at the camp, Thryss stopped, stunned. Of all the things she had expected to see, Kephren's other self, was not one of them. She saw that they weren't entirely identical for Kephren wore his hair long, and one length. His other self had chosen to have the front cut shorter and the back pulled into a long braided tail.

The other spun around as he felt their presence. His silver eyes went wide as found himself looking at what appeared to be a mirror image of himself. "Who are you?" He asked perplexed, only to have that thought rapidly abandoned, as something far more incomprehensible drew his attention. For a moment he just stared and then whispered "Mixed blood." He seemed to shake himself out of his shock, "How is this possible?" He asked looking to Kephren.

Thryss answered instead with a command "Let the child go. She belongs to me."

The other smiled slightly at the command, not realizing what he was dealing with. Thryss narrowed her eyes at the insult and called on her psionic energy.

"Keff, get the child. You will need to shield her." Thryss instructed her dark world companion as she gathered energy around her, the armor shifting into more appropriate battle gear.

The other stared in disbelief. "Imperial Guard. Impossible." Even as he spoke, he was calling forth his armor, stepping away from the child, preparing to attack.

Kephren, taking advantage of the opportunity, grabbed the child, moving her back from the two combatants. His silver eyes narrowed in concern as Thryss began to unleash the immense psionic energy she normally suppressed.

The moment Kephren had shielded Rin, Thryss released the building energy. Wind circled her with cyclone-like intensity as the full force of the controlled tempest was released.

The other, hit by the massive wave of energy, struggled to shield himself. Wave after wave of energy pounded him with bone crushing force. Trees snapped in two, rocks crumbled, and the earth shook, as power, destructive and unrestrained, surged out.

Shielding his eyes against the rushing gale force winds, the other brought his weapons up quickly as Thryss broke through the energy, her sword-like weapons in hand. The blades clashed violently, released energy strengthening Thyrss' blows. The other fell back quickly, and altered his form to what appeared a phantasmal apparition. Reversing his momentum, the deadly phantom passed through her in a blur of motion. Thryss turned, a small cruel smile twisting her lips, "That doesn't work on those who carry the blood of the dark world."

"I wasn't trying to poison you." The other informed her.

Thryss' eyes widened in horrified realization. Fool, her mind screamed at her. While passing through her, the other had solidified his armor, and dragged the lethal, dark metal across her. Looking down she could see the wound had gone deep enough to expose the bones on her ribs. Appalled at her carelessness, she sealed it temporarily using her armor. Backpedaling, she focused the psionic energy that was still raging wildly around her into the ghostly image of a giant bird of prey awaiting her command. The technique was difficult and required tremendous concentration, but it was also extremely effective.

The other stared in disbelief at the colossal energy bird that was regarding him voraciously. He had seen some of the Imperial Guard command their psionic energy, using it as a weapon. Nothing, though, had compared to the staggering power he felt coming off this sinister predator.

"Yield!" Thryss snarled. The other hesitated then conceded defeat, dismissing his weapons. This fight would wait for another day. To his amazement he realized he was tiring, and he knew dealing with two of the Imperial Guards by himself would be foolhardy.

"Why did you come for the girl?" She demanded, disseminating the energy.

"I am under orders." He replied.

"You are under orders?" Kephren had come upon her by chance, so why was the other 'under orders'?

The other stared with undisguised fascination at her. "You have mixed blood." Looking over to where Kephren was removing his shield. "The child is like you?" He asked.

"The child is me. I am what she will become." She informed him.

"You came through a rift?" He asked astounded. At her nod, his attention shifted to Kephren. "He is me." He realized, understanding now why it had felt like he had been looking at a reflection. "Why have you risked entering a rift?" He asked, needing to know what would posses anyone to do such an insane thing.

"I seek answers to my past."

"Why did you interfere with my orders?" the alternate Kephren demanded. " As one of us, you must know it is punishable by death to impede an imperial command." He was also wondering what his future self was doing here, but wasn't sure he wanted to know what manner of lunacy might have come over him, to attempt something like that.

"The child is the key to my past, and I have already risked death by coming here." Thryss answered. Yet there was another reason, one she didn't admit, even to herself. She knew what the future would be like for the child. The terror those early days would hold. The days before the strengths of her mixed blood became evident, and she discovered the enormous psionic power that had been sleeping within her.

"What will you accomplish? This world will be eradicated and none will remember its name." To the other, this younger version of her companion, that there might be any intrinsic value in a world was unfathomable. To a Talisian life was a thing to be destroyed, nothing more.

Receiving no answer to his query, the other bowed gracefully and said, "We will continue this another day. I look forward to meeting with you again, you are formidable."

Thryss thoughtfully watched the younger version of Kephren as he left. She turned and slowly walked toward where her companion was studying Rin, much to the child discomfiture.

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At the same time that Thryss was preparing to battle Kephren's alternate self, Rin was released from the mental hold the creature had placed on her.

Coming out of the fog that had clouded her mind, Rin became aware of a second creature. She gasped and shrank back as he reached for her, pulling her toward him. Shaking uncontrollably, Rin stared at him, her eyes round with fear. The creature knelt in front of her, tilting his head slightly as he returned her gaze, his soulless silver eyes unreadable and emotionless. As the creature drew her closer, she notices its skin was smooth like marble; he looked like a living statue, flawless and inhuman. Wrapping himself around her, he leaned close so that his mouth was by her ear, the incredibly bright silver hair, sliding over her arm and down her back. He said something in a voice that sounded like rushing wind. Confused, she turned a little toward him, "Do not fear me. Do you understand?" It took Rin a minute to realize that she could understand what he had said. Seeing he was waiting for a reply, she nodded. As soon as she nodded, massive gleaming black wings sprouted from his back. The diamond hard edges plunged into the ground. Rin's startled scream was stifled as the creature pulled her tightly against him, preventing her from moving as the spreading wings encased them.

Trapped in the glistening black cocoon, Rin could hear the sound of a maelstrom all around them, pounding against the creatures wings. Realizing that the creature wasn't trying to kill her, she wriggled around trying to get a better look. The creature lifted its head at her movement, regarding her curiously. Not sure if it was a wise thing to talk to the creature, or if he could even understand her, Rin fidgeted nervously. Too nervous to stay silent for long, she addressed the creature. "What's happening?" She asked, uncertain if he would reply.

"Reality is being challenged." He answered, the inhumane quality of his voice filling her with trepidation.

"What are you?" Rin asked, unsure if she really wanted to know.

"Most consider me a creature of nightmares and shadows."

Deciding she didn't want to know the answer to anything else, and not understanding the replies to her questions anyway, Rin forced herself to remain silent. She would not let herself talk uncontrollably just because she was nervous. Thankfully, the sound of the storm died away and she saw the black wings of the creature draw back until they were absorbed into his skin.

Rin was shocked to see the woman talking to the first creature without looking in the least afraid. "Isn't she afraid?" She asked, without thinking.

"Why would she fear?" The creature asked, startling her. She hadn't meant to voice her question out loud. Looking back at the creature with big eyes, she blurted out, "Because you're scary." As soon as the words left her mouth, she wanted to kick herself for saying it out loud. You don't tell a monster that it's scary. That could make it to think of all the things it could do to you. Rin abruptly squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to see the look on the creature's face. When nothing happened, she slowly opened one eye to find him watching her inquisitively.

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Sesshomaru glided smoothly through the forest, speculating on what could have come into the area without him catching its scent. As he neared the camp he felt an unfamiliar energy building. Knowing it was coming from the camp, he picked up his pace, racing toward the rapidly building power. He was almost back, when he was hit by a wave of energy that came ripping through the trees. Buffeted by the tremendous force of the rushing winds, he unsheathed his sword and plunged it into the ground anchoring himself, the long, heavy hair whipping out behind him. As the onslaught slowed, the demon lord freed his sword and vaulted forward.

Sword drawn, Sesshomaru charged into the clearing that served as their camp. Expecting a violent confrontation, he was stopped short at the devastation. There was nothing left to suggest there had ever been a camp.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin cried, the aftermath of terror making her voice shake as she ran over and attached herself to his leg. Sheathing his sword, the demon surveyed the destroyed camp, paying no attention to the toad that had finally caught up with him.

"Lord Sesshomaru. Was it your demonic energy that did this?" The ugly little toad asked looking around in amazement at the demolished camp. As his gaze came to rest on the human, Jaken's large eyes bulged to the point that it looked as though they might fall out. There beside the woman stood the creature he had seen earlier.

"Lord Sesshomaru! It's the creature that came after young Rin!" The toad exclaimed, his stubby green finger trembling as it pointed to the creature.

"So it would seem." The demon lord remarked calmly, contemplating the creature he had seen in the memory. The one that had killed him. Disentangling Rin from the death grip she had on his silk, he approached the creature that stood next to the bothersome human.

The creature watched him approach, the silver eyes unreadable. Inhumanly beautiful, like an onyx sculpture, it stood motionless, waiting for him. Sesshomaru pushed aside the unexpected and

unwelcome chill that came over him at the unnatural aura of the thing. Coming to a stop in front of it, he turned to look at Thyss as the smell of blood became evident. Looking over her person he didn't see any wounds, but it was definitely Rin's blood that he smelled, and the child was not injured.

Distracted by his conclusions, the demon was startled when the creature addressed him.

"Do you fear to meet my gaze?" The creature inquired, its voice as eerie as its appearance.

"It can speak. How convenient." The demon lord remarked sourly.

Before Sesshomaru could continue, Rin raced over with Jaken following close behind. Skidding to a halt in front of the demon lord, she turned to the woman her face alight with questions, "How do you know him?" She asked excitedly. "What is he? And where did the other one go?"

"What other one?" The demon lord interrupted, "There are two of these things?" indicating the creature in distaste.

"My other self." The creature answered helpfully, expressing obvious enjoyment at the demon's annoyed expression at the interruption.

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed in displeasure at the creatures disrespectful attitude. "I did not address you." He remarked disdainfully glancing at the creature, before cracking his knuckles and contemplating his claws with seeming fascination.

Kephren's silver eyes glinted maliciously at the demon. He was about to show the arrogant imbecile the meaning of true strength, when he felt something vigorously rubbing his arm. Effectively distracted from the demon, he looked down to see the child. Feeling his gaze, she looked up and met his inquisitive expression. Her eyes rounded as if she suddenly realized what she was doing. "I just wondered if it was paint." She explained, avoiding his eyes.

"Paint?"

"I have never seen anything as black as your skin. I thought maybe you painted it." She answered his question uneasily, backing up until she was pressed against the white silk of the demon lord. Sesshomaru looked down at her, one eyebrow raising at her explanation.

Thryss took advantage of the opportunity to distract Kephren from tormenting the demon any further. "Keff, I don't remember you ever having the appearance that your younger self had." Kephren frowned momentarily, then answered slowly. "I have never appeared as this younger version of myself did. Also, he came for the child under orders. I came upon you by chance and you were not alone," he remarked, looking pointedly at the demon. "It would seem the sequence of events are different."

"What does that mean?" Thryss wondered uneasily.

"It means that this is not our past, but an alternate reality." he answered. "Ah, and yes, the rift has closed; we cannot return."

"That means it stays behind." Sesshomaru said, indicating the creature, his golden eyes regarding it in disgust.

"You may call me Kephren" The creature informed him, watching the demon stiffen in irritation. "And only I decide what path I follow." he said, an evil little smile quirking up the corner of his mouth.


	7. Chapter 7

8

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha

Chapter 7 Desperation

The firelight danced off the planes of the demon's face, casting shadows under the sharply angled cheekbones, darkening the magenta stripes to crimson. He sat near the edge of the camp, seemingly indifferent to those near him. A pale deadly shadow, pristine and demoniacally beautiful, his golden eyes were emotionless as he studied the small human woman sitting silently on the opposite side of the camp.

She appeared unnaturally pale, although it could have been a trick of the flickering light. The scent of blood was weaker now, but still present. As Sesshomaru watched her intently, she gave no indication of injury, yet there had been no denying the smell of her blood in the air after the battle. His gaze rested on the child; she was without injury. Arching his brow slightly, he watched with silent amusement as the toad tried vainly to avoid Rin's latest game.

A slight movement drew his attention away from the child's game to the large rock, where the creature was perched like a sinister black gargoyle. The pupil less silver stare that met his eyes was unnerving in its unnaturalness. The creature hovered near the woman, always within reach. Sesshomaru contemplated its strange behavior. The creature didn't appear concerned, yet its constant presence gave indication of an awareness of her injuries. Her movements didn't have their normal smoothness. He wondered what had happened in his absence.

Thryss sat motionless, the warmth of the fire unnoticed. She concentrated on controlling the struggle her armor was engaged in against the foreign intruder that had gotten into her flesh during the battle. She had been careless, letting down her guard. Kephren was the only being she had never viewed as a threat. While battling his younger self, she had been remiss in not taking into account how powerful he had always been among his kind. His armor was far more deadly because of that very power. When he had dragged the dark metal across her, he'd left remnants of the alloy in the wound. If she couldn't purge it, she was guaranteed an excruciatingly painful death, being ripped apart from the inside out. Her armor was entirely focused on battling the intruder.

Realizing that she would not be able to conceal the pain much longer, she rose, careful to reveal no weakness. Thryss moved off in the direction of the stream that had been faithfully providing dinner for the past two days..

"Where are you going?" Rin asked, leaving the stressed toad alone long enough to question her.

"To the stream. I would like to bathe." She answered, ensuring her voice held no indication of any pain or distress.

"Oh, there is a hot spring nearby. The stream will be really cold this time of year." Rin said, shivering dramatically.

"Which way does it lie?" Thryss inquired.

Rin cheerfully gave directions and offered to come along for company, but Thryss assured her she preferred privacy. The child nodded gravely and told her she understood, but reminded her to be careful of the wild animals. Thryss nodded acknowledgment and moved in the direction the child had indicated.

It wasn't far, maybe a quarter mile, when she came upon the hot spring, the rising steam ghostly white in the moonlight. She commanded the armor to withdraw and finally took a good look at the wound. Even in the dim evening light, she could see the edge of the torn flesh was black and jagged with the deadly metal. The bones of her ribs gleamed through the blood still oozing from the wound. Hissing a bit, she knelt beside the spring to cleanse it.

A muffled sound made her spin around and summon her weapons. Staring intently into the woods she could make out a pale image approaching her.

"Why are you hiding your injury?" Sesshomaru inquired calmly coming out of the trees.

He blinked in surprise, moving to evade, as the woman snarled and struck out at him with her strange looking weapon. Sesshomaru was assaulted by the overwhelming smell of her blood as she attacked. The scent wouldn't be so strong if there wasn't a lot of it. Sesshomaru leapt backward, not wanting to engage in battle with the wounded human, continuing to evade her vicious attack.

"You require aid." He flatly stated with a frown. She was reacting oddly, as though he meant to harm her, despite him having done nothing to warrant such a reaction. Her eyes had the look of a wounded animal, desperate and vicious. The smell of Rin's blood all around him, was a disturbing reminder that this wounded young woman was indeed the same child he traveled with.

"You need to close that wound. Regardless of what you would believe, you are human and the amount of blood you are loosing will kill you." He said dispassionately. Seeing that she hadn't moved to attack again, he moved toward her, the light of the moon reflected in the long pale hair. His movement proved to be a mistake. Lashing out violently, she followed after him in a graceful and deadly dance of blades.

Sesshomaru sighed and unsheathed his sword, deflecting the blows. "You can't hope to win in that condition." He informed her reasonably. It didn't appear that she was paying any attention to him. He deflected another blow, and seeing the bone glistening between the torn, bloody flesh, realized he had to end this soon. He noted the wound was already ominously darkened at the outer edges.

Thryss' vision began to blur, the loss of blood making her light headed. She cursed the human blood that made her more fragile than her dark world companion, as well as the carelessness that had caused her to underestimate Kephren's abilities. She also found herself cursing the fact that she had no desire to kill the demon lord in front her. Thryss focused her energy and concentrated it in front of her, then threw it at the demon, hoping to knock him out.

Sesshomaru drew in a surprised breath at the wall of energy rushing at him. Holding his sword in front of him, he used its energy to deflect the oncoming attack. Amazed that she could command such force, especially give her weakened condition, he eyed her with renewed respect. The energy she had thrown at him was peculiar. There were priestesses he knew of that could command holy energy which they used to destroy demons; but this was different, neither holy nor demonic.

"Interesting, you will have to explain this to me later." He murmured, mostly to himself.

Sesshomaru remained defensive as he waited, knowing she would collapse soon. She was swaying drunkenly, the loss of blood taking its toll. He watched as her dark eyes narrowed, desperate, like a cornered animal. What had she gone through to cause her to react in such a way? A mystery for another day, he decided as he saw her finally succumb to exhaustion, loss of blood, and pain. As she fell to ground, a panicked look crossed her face; and then she lay still and silent at his feet.

Kneeling beside the prone woman, the demon lord turned her face toward himself with one clawed hand. He studied her face; the smooth pale skin, made ethereal in the moonlight, contrasted sharply with the dark hair. He could see traces of Rin in her face in the curve of the lips, the gentle arch of the eyebrows. Faintly disturbed at seeing the ghost of the child in the pale figure that lay motionless by his feet, Sesshomaru transferred his gaze to the gaping wound. He knew she needed to close the gash soon or she would bleed out.

The demon used his hand to pull the edges of skin together, trying to staunch the bleeding while he considered the best way to fuse the flesh. His poison was too acidic and would just eat through the skin. His whip might work, if he was careful. Still holding the bloody edges together, he became aware of a slight change in her breathing. Her sudden movement left his hand hovering in mid-air, his bone white hair falling to lie on the ground, as she crawled rapidly backward to get away.

"I would have thought a word of thanks might be in order." He remarked as she moved back away from him. Sighing in resignation, he moved slowly toward her, the white silk rustling softly. Like it or not she needed help. He only grumbled a little to himself, about how this was not what someone of his station should be doing.

"Why are you here?" She rasped painfully.

"I had though that was rather obvious." The demon replied dryly.

"Do you think I am helpless, because of this scratch?" She hissed, shifting to a crouching position.

"You are human. It is you nature to be weak." He replied, deciding the loss of blood must be impairing her judgment to utter such an inane thing. His thought was cut short when he caught the scent of an unknown demon approaching.

Thryss had scrambled backwards, trying to distance herself from the demon lord, her mind skittering in confusion. The only reason he would be here was to take advantage of her weakened state, but he had not attacked her. He suddenly looked in the direction of the trees, seeming to catch a scent on the wind. As she watched, he rose, standing between her and whatever was approaching. An odd looking bear-like animal crashed through the trees, its eyes glowing an evil red. It paused as it caught sight of the demon lord, who was standing in the way of the meal it had smelled. Sniffing the air, the 'bear?' shuffled a bit, lusting after the smell of fresh blood. Bellowing, it charged at the demon lord standing calmly before it, only to fall in its tracks as Sesshomaru loosed the deadly whip with a quick flick of his hand, his wickedly sharp claws catching the light. The head of the bear creature landed a few feet from the rest of it. The body fell with a heavy thud, shaking the ground as it slid to a halt at the feet of the demon lord.

Thryss stared in bewilderment. He had protected her. Insulted and confused, she lunged, her weapon held close to her body as she prepared to strike at his back. Whirling around, he parried and grabbed the wrist that held the weapon, twisting it sharply behind her, pulling her tight against his chest. She struggled against his hold, but the black metal racing through her body weakened her efforts. Rapidly loosing strength, she glared up into the calm golden eyes quietly regarding her. Feeling the cruel metal beginning to separate the bone and muscle, Thryss could not suppress a soft cry. She went limp in his grasp as her weapon absorbed back into her skin, her armor battling for her life.

Sesshomaru felt the small female collapse as she cried softly in agony. Kneeling, he leaned her against his bent leg, trying to get a look at the damage. What he saw made him draw his breath in sharply. He could see something moving under the flesh, leaving a raised trail as it raced under her skin. "What is causing this?" he asked her.

"Armor. I must purge it." She gasped, anguish marring her features. Too involved in trying to evict the intruder from her body, she lay weakly against his leg, unresisting. Feeling his clawed hand on her cheek, Thryss looked up at him with pain filled eyes. She looked small and fragile to the demon lord. Knowing that he was watching her die, he urgently demanded, "How do you purge this?"

"I must assimilate it, or expel it." She hissed, fighting the pain, as Sesshomaru watched helpless.

"I know you are there." He said addressing the creature, lurking in the woods. "Will you watch her die?" He demanded.

The creature emerged from the woods, his movements unnaturally smooth. Coming to stand beside the demon, it asked curiously "How did you sense me?"

"You haven't left her side since I returned. It stands to reason you would still be near." Sesshomaru told him impatiently.

The creature watched without response as the weakened human spasmed, an agonized cry escaping her lips. "What can be done?" The demon asked, irritated at the blasé tone of the creature.

"Only she can fight this battle." The creature said, no emotion evident in its voice.

"Explain" The demon demanded.

"The armor has attached itself to her flesh, if she cannot control it, she will die." The creature said with a slight shrug of his shoulder.

"Control it how?"

The creature regarded him thoughtfully, "The armor is sentient. The host must have a stronger will, a stronger mind than the alloy. If the host is too weak to, the black metal will control the host instead of the host controlling it. If this happens, the host dies." Finishing the explanation the creature lowered itself beside the human. "She does not belong to you anymore. You lost all claim to her, when you

could not stand against me." It reached out to take her, but an angry snarl from the demon made it raise pupil less silver eyes to meet his, arching its silver brows questioningly. "The armor that poisons her belongs to my alternate self. Although she must overcome this, I can assist her, where as you, cannot." It informed him in response to the demon lord's angry snarl.

Glaring at the creature, Sesshomaru's golden eye's tinged with red, the fury within him demanding blood. The only thing preventing him from taking the creature's self-confident head off, was the fact that he knew the creature was right. There was nothing he could for the frail human that leaned weakly against his leg, gasping for breath. The demon remained still when the creature reached for her again. Sesshomaru silently contemplated the unwelcome feeling of concern he felt for the welfare of this slight human woman, this future version of Rin.

Thryss opened her eyes as Kephren pulled her to him, feeling the marble smoothness of his skin against her cheek. "Keff?" She whispered in a ragged voice.

"How embarrassing." He remarked meeting her gaze. Thryss crinkled her face, acknowledging his statement. "Why are you here?" She croaked.

"Because, if you die, I will only have that grumpy demon to converse with. I am forced to aid you out of self preservation." He answered with a dramatic sigh. Needing to have as much physical contact as possible for him to communicate with the parasitic intruder, Kephren leaned forward and rested his cheek against hers. He sent a mental command to the armor to cease it's assault. Feeling the armor respond to his command, he sat back up and watched as Thryss' armor abruptly expelled the foreign alloy. Her body spasmed and twitched violently as the metal left her system.

Freed of the parasite, Thryss' armor began to immediately work on repairing her damaged flesh. Breathing easier, she collapsed against him exhausted now that the worst was over.

A startled, pained sound coming from the demon drew their attention. The black metal , having been ejected from Thryss, targeted the demon who had been silently watching from nearby. The metal, gleaming blackly, attached it self to the demon's only arm, sinking into to his flesh. Holding the arm close to his body, Sesshomaru let out an anguished sound as it moved under the skin, the flesh rippling grotesquely as it raced through his body. His golden eyes wide with shock and pain, the demon lord gasped and crumbled to ground, still and silent.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha

Authors note. Thank you for the reviews, I really appreciate them. Please let me know if you enjoy this.

Chapter 8: Changes

Sesshomaru fell to the ground, long silver-white hair fanning out around him. The white silk glowed luminously in the moonlight as it settled about him with a soft rustling sound. At first he appeared unconscious, but then Thryss noticed he was shaking slightly. Her wound was not yet closed when she moved away from Kephren to approach the shivering demon lord.

"Sesshomaru." Thryss called softly, leaning close in the dim light, her lips close to his ear. She frowned at his lack of response. Looking toward Kephren she asked. "Why didn't the armor return to you? It came from your other self, so wouldn't it have been added to your current armor?"

Joining her beside the prone demon, Kephren studied him in fascination. "I don't know why it went for him. I was closest to it and I am its owner; there is no reason for this."

As she saw the demon grimace in pain, sharp, clear images of the child she had fought while still on Talis, rose in her mind. She remembered his flesh, bloody and shredded; the slow, torturous destruction of the child's body as it was gradually ripped apart by her armor. She remembered his breathing, painful and difficult, as the blood filled his lungs; and she remembered the bloodthirsty cries of her people at his death.

Can you call it back to you?" Thryss asked, seeing Sesshomaru's face twist in pain as he started to regain awareness, his face pale and drawn in the dim evening light.

"When I ordered it to cease its attack, that should have served as a return call. Of course, since it belongs to my other self, the situation is unique." Kephren fell silent, considering the implications of this strange event. Reaching out with a slender hand, he turned the demon's face, so he could see it.

The demon's eye's opened at the touch, then abruptly narrowed as he realized his personal space had been breached once again. With a pained snarl, he knocked the hand away.

"He's awake!" Kephren exclaimed grinning.

Sesshomaru pushed himself into a sitting position, radiating offense at the disrespectful creature. The movement caused the metal coursing through his body to attack him. The demon jerked convulsively, a wave of agony rippling through him as he leaned forward, the long strands of pale hair concealing his pained grimace.

Thryss eased to her knees before the demon. Pushing the heavy hair away from his face, she raised his eyes to meet hers, her hands resting against the dark stripes on his face.

"The armor is sentient. You must command it. It is seeking to dominate you." she said as his angry eyes bored back into hers. Sesshomaru's offense at her hands on his face surpassed even the pain momentarily. These people didn't just invade his personal space, he thought grimly, they walked all over it.

"Hmm, he is stronger than I expected. I wouldn't have thought he would be able to look so grumpy, with the black metal in his system." Kephren shuffled closer, invading Sesshomaru's much-prized bubble of space a little more. The demon growled at the creature, overwhelmed by the desire to disembowel the impertinent creature that was all but snuggled up against him.

Kephren could dimly see the demon glare at him murderously. For some unknown reason, Thryss was attached to it, and he saw no reason why he shouldn't humor her. Although the demon still showed a surprising force of will in his continued resistance to the armor, he would need more power than he was currently exhibiting to overcome it. Kephren reflected that the demon was not going to thank him for his aid. With a sense of satisfaction at the outrage he would engender, Kephren wrapped a dark arm around the demon's rigid shoulders and murmured to him, "Your desire to survive must surpass that of the alloy. I have never seen a being other than my own people control it. I do not think you will actually succeed."

Sesshomaru's power surged and spiked as he contemplated melting off the arm which the thing had the unmitigated gall to drape across his shoulder. Lashing out, he raked the creature with his claws, the acidic poison dripping down its smooth black shoulder. The demon's angry snarl turned into a disbelieving stare, as the creature casually removed its arm from his shoulder, ran a dark finger through the poison, brought it up to lips and popped the poison-covered finger into his mouth. "Does this mean you will not call me by name? We do travel together you know." Kephren remarked innocently, eerie and inhuman in the light of the moon.

Sesshomaru growled and shoved the annoying thing away in disgust, as he began to rise to his feet. Without warning, the alloy attacked viciously, racing under his skin. The demon went rigid in pain. He forced his arm up in front if him and could just make out the movement of the metal beneath his skin. Like fire through his veins, he felt it traveling up his arm toward his shoulder. Supported by his demonic energy, Sesshomaru pitted his will against the foreign intelligence sliding its insidious tendrils through him. He felt a moment where the metal seemed to touch his mind, trying to bend him to its will. Demonic energy surged in response to his determination to dominate the armor, the white silk of his clothing rustling as his intense energy disturbed the cool night air. His eyes glowed red, and his fangs elongated, transformation beginning as his will clashed against the voracious armor that was demanding his submission.

Submission; it was not a word Sesshomaru would allow to exist in his vocabulary when speaking about himself. If this arrogant intruder thought the mighty Lord of the Western Lands would bow to it, it was mistaken. Sesshomaru demanded the armor's submission, refusing to allow something as inconsequential as metal to control him. Its will crashed against his, pressed and sought to overwhelm his will, but when it found no weakness it finally yielded, accepting him as its new host.

Thryss and Kephren watched with rapt attention as the demon succeeded in subduing the armor, "It has accepted him." Kephren said in astonishment. A strange uncomfortable expression crossed his face, "He is going to gloat about this endlessly." Kephren muttered unhappily.

Suddenly the demon lord grasped the stump of his missing arm, and gritted his teeth in pain. The black armor burst from the skin of his shoulder, running down the stump. Mixing with the flesh, muscle and bone, an arm was rapidly regrowing. The armor had rebuilt the lost arm. His labored breath slowed and Sesshomaru considered this new oddity. It felt just as natural as his original one had, except the claws were now of wickedly sharp black metal, and it appeared that the magenta stripes seemed to also be of the same metal now.

Thryss promptly took hold of the new arm to examine it. Annoyance gripped the demon, but passed quickly as he noted her wound had completely healed. Sesshomaru interrupted her inspection of his arm as a thought occurred to him, "This armor," He said, feeling the smooth material on her shoulder, "It aids in healing?" He asked.

Thryss turned her face in his direction, "Yes," she answered, "the armor does assist in healing wounds, but I have never known it to replace a limb that had been lost prior to its joining with the host." He suddenly crouched in front of her to examine where the wound had been, running his clawed hand lightly over her ribs, "I cannot even feel a scar. Amazing." He said softly to himself. Transferring his attention to the new arm once again, he slowly moved his new fingers, testing their range of motion.

"I wonder if he will have any control over the armor, or if it will act as parasite, merely existing within him." Kephren wondered, making sure to irritate the demon with his tone of voice.

Sesshomaru ignored the rude creature, but silently wondered the same thing; he had seen them shift their armor at will. Once he mastered this strange new weapon, it could be very useful. Lost in thought, he was still crouched in front of the human with his opposite hand resting on her ribs, when the demon was caught off guard at the sound of Rin's voice.

"I do not mean to interrupt your bath, but I didn't see you take any herbs with you to wash your hair." Rin said, chattering happily. She had begun skipping as soon as she emerged out of the forest. She opened her mouth to continue, but stopped suddenly as she took in a most unusual scene. There was her Lord Sesshomaru on his knees, looking quite romantic she thought, in front of the woman, his hand placed slightly above her waist. To the left of her lord stood the creature. At the sound of her voice, all three looked over at her. Her lord rose to his feet rather quickly; he wasn't in the habit of kneeling in front of women.

Rin's mind was still trying to take in this strange sight, when Jaken came crashing out of the woods behind her, "Rin you foolish child, if Lord Sesshomaru finds out that you ran off again he will be very displeased." The toad chided her.

"Rin, are you listening to me?" He squawked, finally catching up to her. He stopped to catch his breath, huffing and puffing after all the running. The toad suddenly became aware that they were not alone, "Lord Sesshomaru! What are you doing here?"

"I might ask you the same." The demon lord responded in a withering tone of voice.

The toad stopped, beak open in a horror as he realized his lord might not take kindly to having his actions questioned. "The child wanted to bring some cleansing herbs to the human. I followed her to make sure she was safe." He hurriedly explained. Then he stopped and peered hard at his lord. It was hard to see, but it certainly looked like he had _two_ arms. "Lord Sesshomaru, do you have your arm back? How is that possible?" He asked in astonishment

"Hn." The demon lord said impatiently, discouraging any further inquiries.

Rin squealed in delight, running over to investigate. Sesshomaru signed in resignation, as she danced around him excitedly. It would be quickest and easiest to just let her get it out of her system. She marveled at the shining black claws and stripes. She bounced up and down on her toes in excitement, ecstatic over this new wonder. Rin suddenly stopped, as a thought occurred to her. "Lord Sesshomaru, did you come to bathe also?" she asked innocently.

Not bothering to answer such a ridiculous question, the demon lord gave a disdainful snort and turned to leave. "Return to camp when you are finished."

"Yes My Lord." Rin called cheerfully to the demon's retreating back.

She was just about to ask the woman what her lord was doing here, when the creature approached her. His dark skin was silvered by the same moonlight that caught and reflected in his metallic silver hair. His unnaturally smooth gate caused a chill to go through her. He stopped in front of her, and then squatted down to speak with her. Intrigued by the strange quality of his voice, she had to concentrate to understand him. "You have brought herbs for bathing?" He asked, looking at her intently with eyes almost the same color as the moon. Rin swallowed and nodded nervously. The creature cocked his head thoughtfully. "Do you still fear me?" he wanted to know.

Rin wasn't sure how to answer and just stared at him with big eyes. "I will not harm you." he informed her, in a voice that sounded like the wind.

"Do you promise?" Rin dared to ask.

The creature's smile didn't make her feel reassured. His teeth were an odd silvery white color and his tongue was black. She suppressed a shudder at how unnatural he seemed, how alien he looked.

"You have my word that no harm will come to you by my hand." He said, the silver eyes glinting eerily in the darkness.

Rin gulped uneasily, as beautiful as he was preternatural, she was caught in a dilemma of whether to stare or back away or maybe both. Instead, she wondered what to call him. "What is your name?" She asked.

"Kephren." He answered in his wind-like voice.

"Kefwen." Rin had some trouble pronouncing the unfamiliar name. It took several tries before she could say it correctly. When she finally got it right, her voice was filled with delight.

Kephren smiled in return and picked her up. Rin stiffened in surprise, trying to ignore the queer feel of his sleek black skin. "Did you not wish to bathe?" He asked.

"Not with you!" Rin squeaked her eyes going round.

"Why not?" Kephren inquired with interest.

"Because your a boy!" She answered as though this were obvious.

Kephren stared at her perplexed and then abruptly wrinkled his nose. "Where does that terrifying smell come from?"

Rin made an uncomfortable face and looked pointedly at the toad. "Master Jaken does not bathe, he says its bad for his skin, but I think he is actually afraid of soap." Kephren turned the eerie silver stare on the toad.

Jaken, a feeling of foreboding coming over him, turned slightly to meet the creature's pupiless silver stare. "Why is it looking at me?" He asked nervously.

Setting the child down, Kephren moved with purpose toward the toad.

Jaken feeling more and more alarmed, began backing away.

Kephren looked toward Thyrss and cocked his head meaningfully at the steaming pool. Thryss catching on to his idea, smirked and approached the toad. Jaken, sensing his personal preferences on hygiene might be in jeopardy, turned to run. Kephren reached for the fleeing toad, plucking him off the ground easily. "What are you doing?" The toad asked fear entering his voice. The steam from the pool rose in gracefully white drifts against the black of the night sky. Staring at Kephren in horror, the toad struggled frantically, "No! Put me down! I do not bathe; it is bad for me!"

"Exactly the reason you will be joining us." Kephren replied pitilessly.

Rin smothered a giggle and followed close behind them. Her kimono flapping gently against her legs as the cool night air brushed past her, making her shiver and wrap her arms around herself.

Sesshomaru was at the edge of the trees, when he heard the toad's panicked ramblings. Curious he turned to watch, hidden by the blackness of the tree line. He arched a brow at the sight of the creature hauling Jaken into the water. Apparently he wasn't the only one offended by the odoriferous toad. He had to give the creature credit, it took a strong stomach to have your nose that close to such a smell. He had demanded in the past that Jaken bathe, as he was offensive, but the toad had a bizarre, and irrational fear of soap. From the way the toad was screaming, you would think his very life was in danger. Shaking his head at such ludicrous antics, Sesshomaru leaned against the nearest tree to watch the show.

"NO! NO! NO! Let me go! It took years to build up my secretions to this point! You will ruin it!" Jaken screeched. The thought of his carefully tended bodily secretions being removed had the poor toad in a panic. He had never bathed. Been in water, yes, but never, never with any kind of soap. His eyes, bulged out even further than normal as the thought of all his lovely secretions being cruelly scrubbed away. He moaned in misery, at the thought of what was to come.

"Master Jaken, don't be afraid, soap can't hurt you." Rin told him, as she plopped down by the edge of the pool, in order to dangle her feet in the steaming water.

"I believe we should remove the clothing." Kephren remarked as they came to the edge of the hot spring. Upon hearing this, the toad screeched in mortification, "Remove my clothing, you cannot mean it!" But Kephren proceeded happily to strip the ugly toad of his clothing, leaving his green, warty body naked to the brisk night air. "Aaaaggghhh." The poor toad howled, his flesh breaking out in goosebumps as the chilly air met his exposed lumpy skin. Tossing the stinking garment into the pool, Kephren pulled his armor into himself and stepped into the pool. He held the toad firmly, lest it wriggle free. The toad screamed and wailed. There was splashing and kicking, then more screaming, followed by more thrashing about and yelling, as the toad attempted to free himself.

Rin quickly clapped her hands over her eyes as Kephren removed Jaken's clothing. She had no desire to see Master Jaken without clothing. A moment later she heard the earsplitting shriek, and figured they must be in the water. Slowly moving her hands down enough so that she could see over her finger tips, she cautiously peered toward the dark steamy water of the pool.

Sesshomaru watching from the shadows, winced at the noise.

"Are you quite through?" Kephen asked. The toad suddenly realized he could feel a great deal of smooth skin and screamed again. Kephren's silver eye's went wide as the toad's bellow echoed through the quiet night air. Jaken was far louder than Kephren would had thought possible for someone of so small a size. Turning toward Thryss, a dark figure on the side of the pool, he said, "I believe your help may be necessary. Join us." He was grinning, his silvery-white teeth gleaming out of the darkness above the dimly lit pool.

Thryss moved into the pool, a pale blur stepping into the water which appeared opaque by the dim light. The rising steam was still visible as clouds floated across the face of the moon. The water rippled quietly as she moved to aid Kephren in his quest to clean the toad.

"Be brave Master Jaken." Rin called to the toad, barely able to make out his blob-like shape.

Jaken, feeling way too much bare flesh around him, wailed miserably. Then they brought out the soap. Jaken quailed, struggling to loose himself from the cruel grasp of the creature. They scrubbed him. It was awful. His prized secretions, floated away with the bubbles. Just when he thought they were through, they soaped him a second, then a third time, they cleaned his ears, and even his toes. Crawling and gasping for breath, the toad pulled his clean and shiny body from the water. He collapsed on the dry ground traumatized, a lump of clean warty flesh. Smelling the fresh flowery scent that now emanated from his body, Jaken cried, huge tears running down his face to drip off the end of his beak.

Rin considered trying to comfort Master Jaken, but was hesitant to approach the toad. There was a lot of green flesh visible and she didn't want to get a closer look. Turning her attention to the dark, steaming water, she watched as the woman poured some of the herbal mixture in her hand and began massaging it into Kephren's brilliant metallic hair. Rin noted that the hair still shone brightly by the light of the moon.

She inched her way over close to where the woman was working the solution into Kephren's long silver hair. "What is your name?" She finally had a chance to ask the woman.

"I am called Thryss." She answered. Rin stared in fascination at Kephren's gleaming hair. Impulsively, Rin reached out, running her small fingers through the longs strands. Seeing him glance at her curiously, she hurriedly apologized. "I'm sorry, it's just that I have never seen hair like yours. I wondered what it felt like"

"What does it feel like?" Kephren asked, his voice sounding even more unnatural, as it drifted over to her, carried on the moist air that was hovering above the dark water of the spring.

"It feels like fine silk." She answered as she instructed herself not to touch it again. She reinforced the decision by sitting on her hands.

"You may wash it if you desire to." Kephren said, observing her still form.

Rin adamantly shook her head. "Oh no, I couldn't do that. You aren't family. I don't think it would be right."

"Family?" Kephren said, his tone reflected his lack of understanding.

"Don't you have a family?" Rin asked, seeing the clueless expression.

Kephren remained silent for a moment, then asked "Does the demon bathe?"

"Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin asked in surprise. "My Lord bathes alone. I am not worthy to bathe with someone of his greatness." She told him

"Not worthy." He murmured, looking into the dark forest.

"Lord Sesshomaru, will you not join us?" He queried, an impish smile quirking his lips.

10


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer:I do not own Inu Yasha

Authors Note: Thank you for the reviewing. I love to hear you. So please, review.

Chapter 9: Boundaries

"Lord Sesshomaru, will you not join us." Kephren queried, an impish grin quirking his lips.

The demon lord, standing in dark shadows of the trees, snorted derisively as he turned to leave. The sound of faint splashing and then feet rapidly covering the ground in his direction, made him want to cringe and speed up his pace. No, he, the Lord of the Western Lands, would not flee the wet and probably naked creature heading toward him. Sesshomaru came to an abrupt halt, hesitated slightly, then swung around to face the creature. Silently thanking the darkness which served to hide a great deal of dark flesh, the demon tilted his head arrogantly and arched an eyebrow at the creature questioningly.

Kephren's grin widened as the demon's whole body radiated glowering disapproval. "Why do you walk away? Do you fear my company as the child does?" He asked.

Sesshomaru's pale hair lifted on the cool night breeze that swept through the darkened forest. The moon, filtered by the branches overhead, gave the white silk, a bluish cast. In the ensuing silence the only sound that could be heard was the humming of insects and the sighing of the leaves as the wind pushed through them. A flash of brilliant green illuminated the darkness as Sesshomaru's whip lashed out at the creature. The creature reached out and caught the whip and began pulling the demon toward himself. At first Sesshomaru was too shocked to react. Part of him declared this was not possible, yet there was no doubt the creature held his whip, since it was busily reeling him in like a fish. Scowling at the disrespectful creature, Sesshomaru jerked back on his whip to loosen it from the creatures grasp. Sesshomaru felt the whip go taught and then immediately slack. He looked up just in time to see the creature hurtling toward him through the air, still holding on to the end of the whip. 

Sesshomaru dodged to the side in hopes of avoiding the dripping wet creature, who looked like a disembodied silver head, as it flew at him through the darkness. The creature landed on him full force, carrying both of them to the ground. Landing on dry, crunchy leaves with the waterlogged creature draped across him, the demon grabbed a wrist and used a quick twist of his body to lever the creature off him at the first available opportunity. Sitting on the ground, Sesshomaru looked down at his wet silk. Not able to make out the damage in the darkness, he closed his hand on a fold of it to determine how much water had gotten on him. He tried to ignore the creature hovering over him, but ignoring it only made it move closer. "Touch me and die." He informed it.

Kephren did what came naturally. Snatching the big white fluffy thing off the demon's shoulder, he ran toward the pool, the demon hot on his heals. The air almost vibrated, so great was the demon's outrage. Kephren found himself yanked backward by his hair, the fluffy thing yanked away, then less than a second later he went flying through the darkness to land with a loud splash in the pool, sending up a spray of water against the dark night sky. Leisurely moving back to the edge of the pool, he watched as the indignant demon stomped off toward the camp, fluffy thing safely over his shoulder.

"Keff, why are you tormenting him?" Thryss asked leaning against the rough rocks, her pale skin appearing almost silvery as the moonlight washed over her. The child sat nearby, her eye's dark and round as she stared at him.

Kephren moved through the water to where Thryss leaned against the rocks. Standing in front of her, he leaned forward. "If you were not so fond of that imbecile, he would be dead." he whispered.

"But I am fond of him. So don't kill him." Thryss replied placidly.

"Kill Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin screeched. She erupted to her feet, her horrified expression obscured by the darkness. 

"I only wish to kill him." Kephren told her reasonably, "But I have given my word, and he will not die by my hand." He assured her.

Rin looked down her nose at Kephren. "Lord Sesshomaru is the most powerful demon alive. You couldn't hurt him, no matter how hard you tried!" Whirling around, she took off in the direction the demon had gone.

Kephren watched the child race after the demon and scowled. "Why do you care about him?" He wanted to know.

Thryss didn't answer but stared after her younger self thoughtfully. Although Sesshomaru was very attractive, that was not the reason he drew her. The people of Talis were a very beautiful race, so she was used to extreme beauty. Thryss was puzzled. There was something she could not put a name to that was still strong enough to make her cross a rift just to speak with him.

Kephren stared down at her with a calculating expression. "You don't know. You risk your very existence for this arrogant demon, and you don't know why." 

"Why did you follow me through the rift. You knew the risks." She asked.

Kephren didn't answer, instead he leaned closer and softly brushed his lips against hers. A slender hand sliding behind her neck to tangle in her hair. "I followed you, because I have always stood by your side. That has not changed." He murmured, his lips against her ear. 

Thryss slid her arms around him and pulled herself closer. Resting her head under his chin, she sighed softly. She felt his hand slide down her back, coming to rest on her hip. Kephren turned so that his back was to the wall, shifting so that Thryss could rest against him comfortably. For as long as she could remember, Kephren had been the only being she had ever trusted. When she was young, he had taken pains to make sure she survived. In a world where the inhabitant's only purpose was the death of others, he had shown her kindness; but, because she was young and unfamiliar with their ways, she had not recognized it as kindness until much later. Talisian kindness was not the same as human kindness. Thinking back on it, he was not like the others. She suspected that when he had taken her from this world, it had been to save her life. Once a world was marked for annihilation, there was nothing that could stop it. Kephren knew this; he knew if she remained she would have perished with this world. Kephren was something of an enigma. He was unparalleled when it came to the art of death, yet she was almost positive it had been his desire to spare her that had prompted him to take her with him. Of course, it was not something she would expect him to admit.

Absently tracing the well defined muscles of his chest, her eyes followed the moonlight sliding along his long hair as it slid from her shoulder into the water. "I wonder what your other self meant when he said he was under orders." She wondered aloud as she lifted the silver hair out of the water, letting it slip through her fingers. It glistening brightly against the dark steamy water. 

"I have been thinking about that. Perhaps there is more to your existence than mere chance. It would make far more sense if your conception was arranged, than imagining one of our people being ruled by their emotions." He commented. Using his opposite hand to push her head back, he trailed slender dark fingers down her pale throat, stopping at the pulse beating slowly under his fingers. Thryss closed her eyes enjoying the soft caress. 

"If I am not the result of a mistake, what other reason could there be?" She murmured drowsily.

"We will find that out, when my other self returns for his armor." Kephren replied. Lowering his lips to where his fingers rested on the pulse, he lightly ran his black tongue over the creamy skin and looked toward the woods, his eyes glinting malevolently in the darkness. 

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Rin ran toward the glow of the camp fire she could see flickering through the woods. Angry and confused, she put as much distance as she could between herself and the creature named Kephren. How dare he talk about wanting Lord Sesshomaru dead. Silent tears ran down her cheeks, shining faintly as the light of the fire reflected off them. She slowed as she neared the camp, not wanting her lord to see her cry. Once she was certain she had the tears under control, she plastered a bright smile on her face and skipped out of the trees.

Sesshomaru sat in his customary position at the far side of the camp, the flames making the golden eye's glow. He could smell Rin's tears and wondered what had happened after he left. He felt certain the creature treated Rin the same as he treated the older version of herself that traveled with him. Staring into the merrily crackling fire, he contemplated what their relationship was. Although he was not clear on the particulars, he knew that the trip here had been perilous; yet the creature had followed. There was also the strange comment it had made while he battled the armor, about Thryss belonging to him. As far as Sesshomaru could tell she didn't act like a servant or slave. It was all very strange.

The demon lord's brooding was not broken by Rin, as he would have expected, but by a very unhappy toad. Jaken dragged himself in front of the fire pit and slumped dejectedly down in front of it. Taking a cautious sniff, Sesshomaru noted that his nasal passages weren't screaming in revulsion as usual. The toad looked at his clean feet, and sniffled. Becoming aware of his lords eyes' on him, Jaken startled, "Lord Sesshomaru, I did not realize you had returned." Seeing the way his lord was looking him over, "That creature assaulted me with soap." He whined. At his lord's continued silence, Jaken's eyes were drawn to the new arm, the flickering light casting it in shadow. "Is that arm yours?" He dared to ask.

"It would seem so." The demon remarked, studying the way the black nails flashed in the light of the fire.

Sesshomaru's movement caught Rin's attention. Approaching slowly she gazed at the new arm in fascination. "Your claws are black." She said, sounding a little unnerved. The black claws looked evil. Moving backwards, she sat close to the fire, trying to keep from staring at the new appendage. It didn't look like his other one. The stripes on his wrist were the same evil looking black as his claws. It gave her the chills. Something about it wasn't right. Having nothing to say, Rin sat quietly, a feeling of foreboding settling over her, for no apparent reason.

Sesshomaru caught Rin's scent coming from the woods, indicating that Thryss was returning. He sniffed lightly, perplexed. There was no other scent. Thinking back he realized that every time the creature had been nearby, there had been no scent to identify him. As Thryss came out of the woods, she entered the camp site with the creature by her side. Sesshomaru realized it had no scent. This more than anything emphasized the strangeness of the creature, and brought back the images that he had been trying to forget. Scenes from the dead world flashed before his eyes. 

The camp was far more quiet than usual as they returned. Thryss glanced at Kephren, who shrugged indifferently, not understanding the odd antics of these people. Seeing the child was glaring at him quite unhappily, Kephran walked over and seated himself beside her. She scowled up at him, and started to inch away. 

"Have I offended you?" Kephren asked, watching her curiously out of disturbing silver eyes.

Rin pouted, her lower lip protruding. "You were mean."

"Oh?" He said, waiting for her to elaborate.

"You said you wanted to hurt Lord Sesshomaru." She muttered under her breath.

"No, I said I wished to _kill_ Lord Sesshomaru." He corrected, only to have her glare daggers at him.

"I also told you I gave my word not to harm him." He continued, having no idea as to what she was so upset about.

"Then you grabbed his pelt." She whispered. "_Nobody_ touches Lord Sesshomaru's pelt."

Kephren glanced over at the demon lord, eying the fluffy thing. 

"If you would like me to sharpen my claws on you, then come." Sesshomaru invited.

"Alas, I cannot." Kephren sighed regretfully, nonetheless casting an unsuccessful pleading glance at Thryss, before returning his attention to Rin.

"You got in trouble." She said astutely. 

Kephren grinned, causing Rin to stare at him. "What?" He asked.

"Your tongue is black." She answered.

"Yes, I believe it is." 

"That's not normal." She told him.

"Oh?" 

"Most people have pink tongues." She said, sticking out her pink tongue for him to see.

Kephren tilted his head thoughtfully, remarking to himself how different this child was from the one her had taken to Talis. The child he had taken had shown only fear and distrust toward him. This unwary acceptance fascinated him. He noticed she was staring at his hair again. 

"If you like, you may touch it." He said, sliding his fingers through his hair, causing it to shimmer bright silver in the fire light. Letting is fall down his back, he sat motionless, waiting to see what she would do.

Rin hesitated, but not for long. The shining silver hair was the most beautiful and unusual thing she had ever seen. Sliding her hand into it, she let it slide through her fingers. It didn't feel like human hair or even demon hair for that matter. The gleaming silver strands were so smooth they felt slippery. It was difficult to hold on to them.

"You're not a demon; what race are you?" She asked, trying unsuccessfully to plait the long slick strands.

"I am Dark World." He said, watching to see her reaction. Dark World was what most races called his people.

"That's not a kind of demon is it?" She asked frowning.

"No. I am not from this world." He answered, unnatural silver eyes studying her intently.

Rin stopped try to plait his hair and met the odd silver stare. "You mean, you're from one of those stars?" She said in a hushed voice, looking at the star-filled sky.

"From a world orbiting one of those stars," he corrected her.

"Isn't your family worried about you?" She asked.

"Family?" He asked blankly.

"You know, your mother and father. Brothers and sisters." She said, looking at him expectantly.

"I do not know those words." He said. 

Rin frowned at him. How could he not know what parents were. "Your mother is the one who gave birth to you."

"Gave birth? We are engineered. There is no need for such things." He said shrugging, as though it didn't matter.

"You don't need a mother or father?" Rin asked aghast. "Then who takes care of you?" 

"There are those who attend our needs until we are old enough to defend ourselves."

"Isn't there anyone who cares for you?" Rin wanted to know, unable to imagine what it must be like growing up like that.

"Cares?" He sounded confused.

Rin rolled her eyes, "Someone that worries about you. Someone that wants to make sure you are safe."

"No, it would be too dangerous to admit such a weakness. Others would seek to exploit it, and use it to their advantage." He explained matter-of-factly.

"You really aren't normal are you." She finally decided. What kind of people consider love a weakness? There were things he needed to learn, she thought to herself.

"You thought I was normal?" He inquired with interest.

Leaving Kephren to use Rin to relieve his boredom, Thryss crossed over to the demon lord and sat down next to him.

"What are you are doing?" He inquired, golden eyes narrowing at her presumption.

"I am sitting near you." She said, stating the obvious.

"What caused you to think this acceptable behavior?" He demanded.

"I desired your company." She said simply, leaving him speechless at this absurd reason.

Sesshomaru stiffened in disbelief as the human scooted closer to him. Resting her hands on bent knees, she turned toward the warmth of the fire, the flames bringing a rosy glow to her cheeks. When she raised her face up to meet his gaze, he was disconcerted by the absence of fear in her eyes once again. He had fleeting desire to terrify Jaken, just to make sure he wasn't loosing his touch.

"What do you want from me?" He said in resignation.

"I'm not sure." She said truthfully.

Sesshomaru sat silently, waiting for her to continue. The light of the fire casting shadows across the stripes on his cheek. A soft breeze whispered across his silk clothing, sending it fluttering toward her, brushing across her ankle.

"He will come back for his armor." She said suddenly. Sesshomaru looked at her in question. "Kephren's other self. The armor that you now possess belongs to him. He will come to reclaim it." She explained.

"Your point is?" Sesshomaru asked unconcerned.

Thryss smiled slightly, "My memory of you did not fade over time." 

"How much does a memory fade in 10 years?" He snorted.

"10 years?" She asked confused.

"The length of time you have been gone. It cannot have been much more than that." He said lifting an eyebrow.

"You don't know what it means for me to have mixed blood." she said in realization.

He didn't answer, just looked at her, the evening breeze blowing a few silvery-white strands across his face.

"Talisian's are a long lived race. According to your time, I have been gone approximately 1000 rotations of this world around your sun." She explained quietly. 

"You expect me to believe a human can live for over a 1000 years?" He asked, doubt written on his face.

"How old are you?" She asked.

"My age has no bearing on yours, I am a demon and you are not." He said, tucking the long hair behind an elegantly pointed ear. 

"I am not fully human." She reminded him.

"And yet you are not a demon. Perhaps you can explain this?" He questioned sourly.

Thryss stared at him, no trace of emotion or fear in her eyes. "My blood is a mix of human and Talisian. This alters my lifespan." She informed him.

"Talisian? I have heard you use that term before. Explain this." He demanded, arrogant expression firmly back in place.

For a moment Thryss remained silent. "We've spoken of this before when you shared my memories." she said.

The cool evening breeze freed the hair from behind his ear, blowing the long strands across his breast plate, the pale hair blown against the hands that Thryss had folded on top of her knees. Transferring her gaze to the wayward hair she wound it around her fingers, enjoying the silky length. Looking away from the hair to speak to him, she was caught by surprise, at the angry golden eyes that were glaring at her once again. 

Reaching over, he pulled the long silvery-white strands from her fingers and retucked them. Thryss looked from her hands to his hair, wondering what that was all about. The people of this world acted so oddly.

"We of the Dark World are destroyers. We are the race that is responsible for the annihilation of worlds that are in decline. Our world is called Talis, thus we are called Talisian." She explained.

Sesshomaru blinked. Rationality denied everything she said. "Are you telling me you are from one of those stars?" He asked indicating the starlit sky. Thryss nodded in affirmation. 

"There is no life on the stars." He said indication the glittering night sky. "Even the most ignorant human knows that."

"Do you believe Kephren is of this world?" She asked looking to where her companion was busy talking to Rin.

"Because he is bizarre, does not automatically make him not of this world." Sesshomaru replied in annoyance.

"Are you so arrogant that it is impossible for you to accept that there is other life beyond this world. You saw it in my memories." She reminded him, beginning to feel impatient at his continued disbelief. Rising to her knees, Thryss leaned toward him, running her hands down his new arm, "Does this strike you as normal?" 

Sesshomaru grabbed the hands that were touching him without permission, again. He stood up abruptly, pulling her with him. He towered over her, glaring murderously. "Why do you fear being touched?" Thryss asked in confusion, not in the least afraid of the furious demon lord.

"Fear? Did it ever occur to you that it is disrespectful to place hands on someone above your station without permission." He said between his teeth.

"I am Imperial Guard. There is only one above my station." Thryss said baffled.

Amazed that anyone could be this dense, he stated slowly and clearly,"You are not worthy to touch me." Thryss gave him an extraordinarily blank look. 

"You think I am not worthy to touch you?" She finally said in disbelief. Her eyes, normally so emotionless, began to blaze angrily. "Come, Lord Sesshomaru. It is time we understood one another." 

Still clasping her hands, Sesshomaru's eyebrows rose condescendingly, "Come? How do you plan on taking me with you?" He asked.

Thryss didn't answer. Looking up at him, with enraged dark eyes, she called forth her psionic energy. If he needed a show of force, so be it.

12

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	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha

Chapter 10: Composure

Thryss felt an unaccustomed rage take hold of her. The demon held her wrists securely between one hand, looking at her challengingly. Apparently he wasn't going to take her seriously, while he thought she was helpless. She absently wondered if humans were really as weak as he seemed to believe. Thryss concentrated on the psionic energy building within her, it was like controlling a tidal wave, if she wasn't careful the sheer force the residual waves rippling outward, would kill her younger self, who was standing far too close for her to take that risk. Realizing she needed a different approach, Thryss chose a different, less violent method, by looking directly into the demons golden eyes and insinuating her will into his thoughts.

"Release me." She told him, her eyes once again emotionless.

Sesshomaru felt the request seep into his mind, demanding he comply, but the demon lord was not one who took orders from others. Resisting the overwhelming desire to yield, he growled softly, irritated at the nagging insistence. She was staring into his eyes, and he felt himself start to obey, even as his mind screamed at him to stop. Such a simple thing, not to release her hands, yet his grip was loosening. Furious that she would even attempt to bend him to her will, the beast inside him came roaring to life, and then something strange happened. He felt the presence of the armor, working with his own desire to overcome the psionic suggestion. The hold Thryss had placed him under abruptly shattered, freeing him. Her eye's went wide in shocked disbelief.

"You broke my hold." She whispered. At her words, the demon tightened his grip on her wrists and lifted her off the ground. He pulled her eye level to him, snarling in murderous rage, "Did you think to control me?"

"Yes." She answered, obviously having absolutely no regard for her own safety. "How did you break my hold. That is no easy feat." She asked curiously, while dangling from his grasp.

Feeling irrationally disgruntled that despite the fact she was at his mercy there was not the slightest hint of fear, which defied all rational reasoning, since she was dangling from his claws like a hooked fish. He had to do something about this. It just wasn't right that he couldn't cowl one lowly human female. Pulling her close, just to make sure she could clearly see the rage in his eyes, "This time you die for your foolishness." He said, raising the new arm, the uncanny black claws flashing dangerously in moonlight. He was just about to strike, when black metal shot out from the wrists that he was holding, razer sharp spines protruding in all directions, necessitated the release of said wrists, lest his hand be perforated. Dropping her unceremoniously, Sesshomaru looked at his hand inspecting the damage.

"It would have been easier, had you just agreed to talk with me." Thryss remarked calmly, as the demon continued to study the hand that he could probably play connect the dots on if he so desired.

There was no evidence of anything but fury as he aimed his deadly claws at her throat. The irritated expression deepened as the sharp nails raked harmlessly against the armor which now covered her neck, causing a small shower of sparks to ignite in their wake. The florescent green of his poison, dripping harmlessly off the smooth surface.

Sesshomaru leaned back, his long hair appearing almost golden as the light of the campfire reflected off it. His typical arrogant expression now replaced with one of supreme annoyance.

Thryss regarded him thoughtfully, considering the best way to stop this ridiculous contest of wills. "If you will not listen to me I am going to have to make you listen. Is this what you desire?" She asked politely. She supposed not, since it looked like he was going to try using the whip next. He must have forgotten what happened the last time he tried. "Very well, we'll do it your way." She announced, deciding to bring this to an end.

The black metal shifted, sliding from soft fabric to an eerie black liquid that raced across her skin covering her completely in diamond hard armor. Massive black wings arced out of her back, cocooning the two of them within its confines. Thryss reached out to grasp his wrists before he could loose the whip. Moving close enough that the slightest motion would bring them into contact, she tilted her head back to look up at him.

Instead of seeing the proud demon that needed taught a lesson, there was the face from her dream. Within the shadow of her wings, the blue crescent moon was clearly visible through the long silvery-white hair. The magenta stripes highlighting the high cheekbones in his beautiful face. Feeling discomfited as the memory of those dreams came rushing back, Thryss remained silent as the demon scrutinized her.

Sesshomaru stared down at her with wide golden eyes that traveled from her dark armored face to the gleaming black wings encircling them. "Interesting." He murmured, studying the metallic wings. Now that his attention was diverted, the desire to disembowel her seemed to have passed.

Pushing away the unexpected memories,"It takes time to learn to control the armor." She said, noticing how intrigued he seemed by the capabilities of the metal.

Dragging his eyes away from the wings, he stared at the metal covered hands still holding onto his wrists. "What is this self destructive desire you have to continually risk your life by touching me?' He asked in exasperation.

"Why do you dislike to be touched?" She asked genuinely curious.

"It is disrespectful." He answered, impatiently pulling his hands away from hers.

Thryss slid the metal gracefully away from her face, shifting it smoothly back into fabric, but still keeping the wings around them. Sesshomaru raised a questioning brow at the continued confinement.

"I want to make a few things clear." She said in response.

Sesshomaru looked down at her, a calculating expression creeping into his eyes. Moving closer, he decided to test a theory. Curious to see how she would react to an invasion of her own personal space, he reached behind her to roughly grab her dark hair. "I am curious. Are you as relaxed about being touched as you seem to think I should be?" Using the hand he had entangled in her hair, he pulled her head back, exposing her slender, pale throat. Tilting his mouth into a small cruel smirk, he lowered his lips to her neck, running along it with his fangs. He felt her breath in sharply in surprise at the unexpected sensation of his teeth on her skin, and try to pull back. Not allowing her to move, he tightened the hold he had on her using his new arm. Feeling an absurd amount of satisfaction that she finally was not so sure of herself, he languidly trailed his tongue from her ear to her lips. Brushing his lips softly against hers, before clamping down on the lower lip with his fangs, making sure she could feel their sharpness. He felt he gasp slightly, then felt the same peculiar energy he had felt earlier rushed up around him, throwing him back forcefully as she quickly backpedaled, absorbing the wings back into her skin. She looked flustered, he noted feeling far more pleased with himself than the situation warranted.

"It would seem that I am not the only one who takes offense at unrequested contact." He said smugly.

She gave him a whithering stare, spun around, kicking up the dried leaves as she walked away. Her stiff posture showing her displeasure. Sesshomaru ambled back to his rock, inordinately pleased with himself as he settled against it comfortably, enjoying the warmth of the fire on his face. Who would have though something as simple as kiss, was all it took to shake her up. Deciding he liked the perturbed expression, he wondered what else could be done to shake that self assured composure of hers.

Thryss walked as quickly as possible away from the demon. It wasn't the touch she had an issue with, it was the way he had touched her that caused her to be so disturbed. She was used the Talisian way of doing things which was always slow and sensual. Lord Sesshomaru neither slow, nor sensual. There had been aggression, and a rather forceful roughness which had taken her by surprise. She hadn't given much thought to how other races touched each other. Now she felt uneasy, unsure of herself. She didn't know what to make of this most unusual response. She had expected anger. So what had prompted him to do what she supposed passed as a caress for him?

Kephren watched unobtrusively from where he had been talking to the child. He had hoped the arrogant demon might finally anger Thryss enough to kill him, but it looked like that wasn't going to happen. At first it seemed as though she was going to put him in thrall, probably to prove her point. He was unpleasantly surprised when they appeared to argue, and then Thryss trapped them together in her wings. A short time later, the demon lord was forcefully shoved away from her, causing Kephren to narrow his silver eyes at the discomfited look on her face as she walked away. Bidding the child good evening he followed her into the dark forest.

Coming up behind her, his footsteps making no sound against the forest floor, Kephren could hear her irregular breathing. "What happed?" He wanted to know.

Thryss turned to her Kephren, the cool night air blowing a loose dark strand across her forehead. Comforted by his predictable familiarity. "I am not sure. I had expected anger and possibly a violent confrontation." She paused, her frown hidden by the shadows. "Then he kissed me. At least I think it was a kiss, he used his fangs. Why would he do that?" She asked confused.

Kephren came close to her, resting slender dark hands against her face. "Did you enjoy it?" He asked, watching her closely, the wind causing his long silver hair to mix with hers.

"It was unlike what I am accustomed to. He doesn't do things the way we do. I am unsure what I feel." Thryss met Kephren's eyes, looking for answers that he couldn't give her. She was unnerved by this whole thing. In her dreams, she had been a child, so she had felt nothing other than adoration for him. The Lord Sesshomaru in her dreams almost never touched her. She found that she did not like the feeling of confusion that the demon was causing, at all. She shivered slightly, feeling a chill settle in, as they stood in the darkness. Moving the dark hands from her face, Kephren pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her. Thryss leaned gratefully into the warm embrace.

"I am still willing to kill him, if you like." Kephren said hopefully, resting his chin on her head.

"Because I am confused, doesn't mean I want him dead." She said dryly.

"It was worth a try." He sighed regretfully.

Sesshomaru leaned back against the rock, feeling quite content. He didn't want to dwell on why he was enjoying this so much, but seeing that composed look wiped off her face had been worth the trouble. Still, he was somewhat surprised that the feel of her skin under his fangs had been pleasant. How odd.

The demon's good mood began to deteriorate when the creature came out of the woods with Thryss. He hadn't even seen him go after her. He watch them thoughtfully. It was curious that the creature decided to remain by her side for the rest of the night. As if it did not like the attention she had received from him. Could it be jealous?


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha

Chapter 11: The Challenge

Glorious sunshine broke through the colorful fall foliage, dappling the earth in shades of red, yellow, and orange. An exuberant bird broke out into song to greet the morning, only to be rudely interrupted mid-chirp as a pebble sailed toward it, forcing it to abandon the branch it had been sitting on. "Stupid bird!" Squawked the grumpy toad, still feeling far too clean for his liking. Jaken set about preparing to leave, unconcerned that it was he, and not the sweet song of the bird, that woke the others.

Thryss awoke at the to find her younger self leaning over her, almost bursting with excitement. "Wake up! We are going into the village. We can even get a real rice ball if you want!"

"Village?" Thryss asked sleepily, cracking her eyes open cautiously against the brilliant sunlight streaming through the trees.

Rin seemed to have gotten over her fear of Kephren as she knelt down beside him and proceeded to vigorously shake him awake. Thryss smiled at his expression when he found the child so rudely awaking him. Looking around and seeing nothing amiss, he looked at her questioningly.

"We going into the village, we can get some real food!" She said excitedly.

"You get excited over food?" He asked, shading his sensitive eyes from the painfully bright light.

Rin nodded emphatically, oblivious to his discomfort.

"We are leaving" The demon lord suddenly announced, beginning to walk away from camp, the silvery-white hair swinging out behind him as he moved away.

"Hurry up!" Rin called gleefully as she ran to catch up.

"My Lord, wait don't leave me behind!" The toad cried, running as fast as his stubby legs would allow.

The large green dragon leisurely trailed behind them, not bothering to try and catch up as the others had.

Thryss and Kephren looked at each other mystified. Climbing to their feet and bushing off the leaves and twigs that had clung to them during the night, they proceeded to follow the small group to where ever and what ever a 'village' was.

The sun shone through the colorful leaves so that they glowed as they danced merrily in the fall breeze. The ones covering the ground, rustled under foot as they walked. As wind whispered through the trees, yet more leaves floated along its currents to join their fellow foliage in the brilliant dance. Sesshomaru glanced back, and found to his delight that the creature did not seem to be enjoying the glaringly bright sunlight of this beautiful day, as it squinted and tried to shade its eyes. The demon snorted, flipping the long hair over his shoulder arrogantly. The creature eyed him up, as it noticed the condescendingly expression. Abandoning the child that had been clinging to him tenaciously, Kephren made his way toward Sesshomaru.

As he neared the demon, Kephren smirked and trotted over to stroll along beside him. Sesshomaru's eyes slid sideways in displeasure at the uninvited company. Kephren looked up, blithely ignoring the unwelcoming expression that now graced the demon lords face, and smiled widely. The demon, as expected, responded with a suspicious glare.

Sesshomaru resolutely turned his attention from the creature to the dirt road they were following, in hopes that it would get bored and go away. The wind picked up, blowing the long pale hair away from his face, carrying with it the sounds of daily life from the village they would be approaching after they cleared the next hill. Sesshomaru felt the creature staring at him. He had just come to the decision that he was going to have to speak to it, when it made the unwise decision to hold his hand. Coming to abrupt halt, the demon shook the creature's grip off, flinging it away in indignation, causing it to tumble backwards into a patch of long grass.

The creature's face took on a surprised expression as something squeaked from underneath him. Reaching down he extracted a small furry animal with large ears. Kephren was busy examining the struggling ball of fur when Rin came racing over to 'rescue' it. Once he had been persuaded to put it down, the little ball of fur that Rin informed him was a 'bunny', hopped off at an impressive speed. Leaving the rather confused Talisian sitting on the ground, watching it make good it's escape.

Turning his attention back to the demon, "Here I am, going out of my way to be helpful, and look I get for my trouble." The creature complained, once again bringing its hand up to shade its eyes against the painful light.

"How exactly were you being helpful by holding onto my hand?" The demon asked in disbelief.

"I wanted to look at your armor of course. Why, did you desire something else?" The creature asked arching its silver brows meaningfully, as it climbed to its feet, checking to make sure there was nothing else in danger of being squished as he exited the tall grass.

Sesshomaru growled at the creature, wanting to cut it down for its insulting insinuation. His plans to maim, or better yet kill the creature, were cut short as Thryss walked up behind the annoying thing and propelled it away from him. Kephren looked back at him with an apologetic grin, "We can finish this later."

Rin's exuberant shout cut through tension. "There it is!" She exclaimed running over to grab Kephren's black arm. "Now you can see what families are!"

Sesshomaru smirked a little as Rin ruthlessly dragged the bewildered creature along with her. Paying no attention to the brightly colored leaves that covered the ground, on her quest to enlighten him as to the value of family. This most unusual sight, would have astounded any that knew him. The dark world warrior was not known for his kindness.

Sesshomaru walked over to where Thryss stood, "Come, the village lies over the next hill." He said. Thryss looked up, the normal emotionless expression back in place. She followed him in silence as they crested the hill and then stopped and stared, not knowing what to make of what she saw. At the bottom of the hill was cluster of rough shack-like dwellings, made of what appeared to be wood and perhaps grass. There were a few building that looked of slightly better construction, but even those were not properly cared for. An uneven dirt road wound through the buildings and disappeared at the base of the hill and then reappear a little further up, to continue on to where they stood. As she watched, a number of children ran together in a group laughing and shouting. An adult off to side, yelled and waved what looked like a cooking utensil at them. The children laughed in response and paid no further attention to the adult, as they skirted a four legged animal tied to a shabby wooden cart loaded with hay. The adult gave chase, catching up to the smallest who was lagging behind, and swatted the child on the rear with the cooking utensil. The child shrieked and giggled, speeding up to elude the adult.

Sesshomaru stood close by observing Thryss' reaction to the scene below. Once again she wasn't acting as one would expect. She stood motionless, her face revealing no emotion what so ever. She must feel a need to hide her reaction, but why would she feel that was necessary? The demon had no idea how accurate his surmise was.

Thryss stared incredulously at the chaos of daily life that was playing out below. There was no discipline, no order, no sense to the commotion, so different from life on Talis, which demanded order and structure of its people! Turning to look at Sesshomaru, she inquired, "These are my people?"

"Indeed."

"I don't understand what they are doing." She said softly, starting down the hill to get a closer look. Following the uneven dirt road that led to the village, she was unaware of the commotion that their arrival was causing.

"It is doubtful any understand the human race." The demon snorted as he moved to follow her, curious to see what she would do next.

As she approached the village, the smell of cooking wafted to her. It wasn't appetizing. The food smelled of oil and unfamiliar herbs. She glanced over to Kephren and saw he had same look of distaste on his face that she was feeling.

The villagers became alert as they neared. They seemed wary and distrustful. Most interesting was that the fear was directed at the demon, and not her dark world companion. She was finding it hard to believe that she came from this race, they reminded her of the small frightened creature that Kephren had inadvertently sat on. The fear coming from them was the same as the animal. A blind, paralyzing fear, that had kept little creature frozen in place afraid to move. You could see it in the way their eyes darted toward the demon and then away, as if they were afraid to draw his attention. How was it possible for a race to openly show such fear? They had to aware of the consequences such an obvious show of fear would surely bring about.

Sesshomaru headed in the direction of a clothing shop, putting some distance between himself and Thryss. He was curious to see her reaction. At the moment she had a disgusted look on her face, like she stepped in a pile of manure.

As Thryss moved away from the others, the people seemed watchful, but more relaxed. They murmured quietly amongst themselves as she passed, remarking on her strange clothes, the disrespectful way she looked at them, and the company she kept. Some of the men began to approach her. They were taller than her, and certainly dirtier than she was. The clothes were odd. A bit like Sesshomaru's silk clothing, but the cloth was rougher, poorer looking. One of them stood in her path menacingly.

"Why did you bring those demons here? We don't want their kind around here." He snarled, while the others closed in around her. Thryss had no way knowing that the humans had very valid reason for being distrustful of demons. A demon had laid waste to the village last year, killing nearly half of its inhabitants. Those that had survived that attack had a developed a deep rooted hatred for all things demonic."Did you think you would be safe because you travel with demons?" He asked menacingly.

Thryss realized in surprise that they thought Kephren was a demon. They were truly foolish if they confused a demon with a denizen of the dark world.

"Why do you fear the demons?" She asked.

"Are you a fool. They may look human but they aren't. They are just savage beasts." He said, spitting in disgust. His eyes roamed her form with a predatory expression. "We don't like demon's whores either. Filthy creatures." He said moving toward her threateningly.

Thryss realized he was actually considering attacking her.

"Your fear is misplaced." She said, as the brown of her eyes spread out, eclipsing the iris and pupil until only darkness remained. Her human self had fallen silent, leaving only the Talisian destroyer in its place. The villager hesitated, but did not recognize the peril he was in. Leering at her with a cruel smirk on his lips, "That demon must have addled your brains, not that it will matter." He said, reaching out to grab her. She met his eyes and muttered , "Insect, it is not possible that you are my race." Holding his gaze with her eyes, she reached into his mind.

Sesshomaru had been inspecting some replacement silk, much to the dismay of the frightened merchant, when he heard the scream. A sound of such primal horror, he could only assume it came from a human. Deciding to investigate, he followed the horrific sound. A group of humans had gathered at the center of the village, in their midst stood Thryss. On the ground in front of her, was a human. He writhed on the ground, clawing at his eyes. Blood streaming down his face as he attempted to gouge out them out. He shook convulsively, then curled in a fetal position. Laying there, he began a high pitched keening. The tortured sound making making the hair of those who watched stand on end.

Thryss looked at the men who stood near by, watching their fellow human die from what the Talisian's called 'The Nightmare'. A psionic weapon that prayed on a persons deepest fear, driving them to madness. Once trapped in this nightmare, the only escape was death.

Stretching out her hand, she swept it horizontally around her, cutting the air with a blade of energy. The blade parted the air, effectively separating everything in its path, cutting it in two. The men surrounding Thryss fell to the ground, their torso's falling one way, their lower bodies falling the other. Women who peeked out from the rough wooden windows stared in speechless horror as the men began to scream. Looking down at their severed bodies, some of the men tried to frantically push the entrails back into their stomachs or simply held them in their hands, staring in incomprehension at this puzzling situation. Some begged for help, while others stared wordlessly at their legs, which were laying parallel to them. Blood flowed along the ground like a river, running over Thryss' feet. She looked down at the crimson stream without interest, and stepped over the villagers who lay moaning in agony.

Moving further into the village, she waved her hand at the huts on either side of her, with what looked to be an unthinking gesture. The powerful waves of energy easily leveled the fragile structures, killing all of those inside. Regardless of whether it was men, women or children, they had challenged her, so they would die. Indifferent and emotionless she continued on her path of destruction until the demon lord blocked her path.


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha

Authors Note: Hi everyone, hope you enjoy this chapter. Please take the time to review. I haven't gotten too much feed back, and I would really like to hear from you.

Chapter 12 The Destroyer

Sesshomaru crossed the blood stained earth, placing himself between Thryss and the remaining houses that had not yet been destroyed. He didn't actually care about this human village, but its wholesale destruction was going to prevent him from replacing his damaged silk.

"Why do you kill your own people?" He inquired calmly.

"These are not my people." She answered in a flat, expressionless voice.

Thryss lifted her arms slightly away from her body, the palms of her hands slanted toward the ground. As he watched the air crackled with power. The dirt and stones surrounding her shook and lifted from the earth as the psionic energy disrupted gravity in her vicinity.

Sesshomaru's golden eyes narrowed angrily as the creature placed itself between them. "Get out of the way." he told the creature. The creature looking over its shoulder with none of its usual mockery, "Take the child and get out of here." Kephren said. The mocking fool was no longer present, as the Imperial Guard stared at him with a cold silver gaze that held power and authority.

Sesshomaru stared back at the creature. Did it think he would flee? That he had no honor?

"What are you waiting for? Can't you tell that her human side is no longer in control?" Kephren demanded.

"What are you talking about?" The demon asked.

Kephren made an exasperated noise, "Look at her eyes. Something woke up her Talisian blood.

The Destroyer clears the mind of all but the need to complete the task at hand, usually the destruction that has been assigned. For a full-blooded Talisian there is an ability to shut it off if faced by another of our own kind. Thryss' mixed blood does not respond as a full-blooded Talisian would."

Sesshomaru transferred his gaze to Thryss to confirm the creature's statement. The building power disturbed the air around her, lifted her dark hair away from eyes that had gone completely dark. There was no pupil, iris, or even white to the eye. For the first time, she truly didn't look human. The eyes were absent of any expression or emotion. "What does this mean?" He asked.

"It means you can't win, you arrogant fool. She will fight to the death. She will only stop when all opposing her have been eliminated." The creature replied, the unnatural sound of his voice subtly altered by the intensifying energy.

Sesshomaru realized with a start that Kephren was deadly serious. "Where is Rin?" The demon asked.

"I have sent her and the toad to stay with the dragon, waiting outside the village. You, too, must get away from here." Even as he spoke, the power that had been building around Thryss began to increase exponentially. The energy crackled and sparked along her skin, the force of it making her dark hair whip out uncontrollably.

Preparing himself in the face of the rapidly expanding energy, Kephren shifted his metal into the battle gear he would need. Some of the black metal oozed from his skin in a vapor-like mist, arranging itself into a shimmering transparent shield of sorts.

"What are you doing?" The demon asked curiously, closely observing the previously unseen shape the armor could assume.

"Trying to save your arrogant hide." Kephren told him, before muttering to himself, "I just know I am going to regret this."

Sesshomaru said nothing at this rather surprising announcement. Kephren glanced back at him, "Don't get the wrong idea. If I let her kill you while her human side is silent, I will never hear the end of it."

As if to prove his point, Thryss released a lethal wave of energy that came roaring at them. The surge of power slammed into Kephren, forcing him backward by the pressure against his shield. A small portion of energy that had not absorbed by the shield slid around him like water around a rock, and smashed into the clothing shop where Sesshomaru had planned to replace his damaged silk. The building collapsed in cloud of dust, sending the villagers scattering in all directions. The demon sighed regretfully as his means of obtaining a replacement lay in ruin.

Digging his feet into the blood soaked earth, Kephren fought to hold his ground against the deadly energy. As he saw Thryss pause briefly to ready another attack, he reversed the shield and sent it rushing toward her. The black mist surrounded her, creating a translucent dome, effectively sealing the devastating energy within the shimmering vale.

Thryss studied the shimmering dome thoughtfully, then released the massive energy that had been building. Kephren's shield writhed and bulged as it struggled to contain the raging storm.

Sesshomaru contemplated the baleful nature of the attack. Whatever was controlling her felt more alien than anything he had ever encountered. There was no anger, no passion, no emotion. It was killing for the sake of utter destruction. Lethal and merciless, she was the guidance mechanism of a weapon, nothing more. He found he did not like the idea of the sunny, happy child he had traveled with for so long, becoming a living weapon, driven by the monster who resided within her.

"There isn't much time. If I can't wake her, and she releases what she is capable of, the uncontrolled power will kill everything for a thousand miles." Kephren informed the demon.

Sesshomaru's golden eyes widened at the news. She was holding back? It did not seem possible, but it was obvious the creature was telling him the truth.

"She didn't become one of the Imperial Guard because she is weak." Kephren said, impatient at Sesshomaru's expression.

An idea had been lurking at the back of Sesshomaru's mind; but would it work? He had breached her control once. He thought the factors that had allowed it before would hold true here, too; though the force involved was a bit more intense than the last time. Coming to a decision, he advanced toward the cold destroyer who controlled the frail human female captive within.

"I need to get through your barrier." Sesshomaru told the creature as he moved closer to Thryss. The creature looked at him incredulously. "You want to get _inside_ the barrier?" Kephren asked in disbelief.

"I broke through her control once; I believe I may be able to do it again."

"You broke her hold on you?" Kephren echoed in utter shock.

Sesshomaru remained silent as he waited for the creature to collect its senses, as it seemed they had scattered at his last remark.

"If you can't break the hold the Talisian blood has on her, she will kill you." Kephren said seriously.

With an unflinching gaze, Sesshomaru met the creature's eyes and proceeded to walk toward the barrier. Stopping just short of the shimmering black shield, he stared through the unnatural black mist to meet the eyes of a Talisian destroyer. The feeling of power emanating from her was overwhelming. He wondered how it was possible for her small body to contain such titanic force. Raising the hand tipped with black claws, he placed it against the barrier. The vaporous substance blurred and seemed to thin, allowing him passage. Not taking his eyes from Thryss, he stepped through the barrier. An odd cold sensation swept through him as he passed through, an eerie chill brushing across his skin as he moved out of the mist.

The demon lord's long hair whipped around him wildly as the raging energy tore around him. Narrowing his eyes against the sheer force of the wind, he advanced toward the middle of the storm where Thryss stood.

Sesshomaru was amazed at the effort it took to force his way through. The demon began to consider his own sanity as it was obvious that she did not appreciate the honor he bestowed on her by his intervention on her behalf. When a great lord, such as himself, went out of his way to help, it became the subject of songs and stories. Stories passed down for generations. There would be sonnets and poems about it. Feeling very aware of his condescension as he stopped in front her, he felt an urge to correct this appalling situation.

His annoyance was an brought to a abrupt halt as he looked down into eyes that were a dark, empty abyss, soulless and alien. Disturbed by the unfamiliar constriction in his chest, Sesshomaru brought his hands up toward her face, and rested them on either side. At the contact he felt an unnerving intelligence reach for his mind. The madness briefly threatened to overwhelm him, surging against his mind and striving to pull him into its dark depths.

The demon lord resisted the pull; he would control his own mind! He felt the armor reinforce his will with its own, and the madness clawing at his mind receded. Focusing on her face once more, he noticed that his black claws had draw blood. Loosening his grip, he felt her suddenly go limp. Catching her before she hit the ground, the demon frowned, not sure what had happened. The storm that had been thundering around them, ceased as suddenly as it had started. Thryss lay against him unconscious, held up by the arm with the black striped wrist. The creature drew his attention as it approached.

Kephren reached out for her, then looked to the demon questioningly when he did not relinquish his hold on her. "She is not yours, give her to me." Kephren said.

Sesshomaru's golden eyes blazed angrily, "Nor is she yours."

Kephren cocked his head slightly, studying the demon. "Do you think that because she spared your life, you are out of danger?" He asked the demon.

Sesshomaru stiffened in outrage.

"She is fighting an inner battle right now, thanks to you. It is impossible to know if the destroyer will awake or Thryss. You should be thankful you are alive. I did not expect your survival." Kephren said.

The Talisian silently contemplated the strange turn of events. The demon should have died when he entered the barrier; that he was still alive was a mystery. Then there was the fact that Thryss had subdued her dark world blood, effectively bending the destroyer to her human will. Kephren had never seen anyone win a battle of will against a destroyer. He was concerned what effect that might have on Thryss, since it would have taken a vast amount of psionic energy to accomplish such a feat.

The demon lord did not even deign to answer, but called up his demonic energy and lifted himself and his unconscious passenger off the ground. He still wasn't sure what exactly had happened, but he knew it was himself that she had responded to; and if there was a chance that Thryss would wake up still under the control of whatever had possessed her, he wanted to be far away from Rin and Jaken. The power he had felt inside the barrier would be a very real threat if it was released.

"I knew I would regret this." Kephren muttered to himself as he watched them leave.

Sesshomaru landed on the mountain ledge he had used last time he wanted privacy. Dismissing the energy cloud, he lowered himself and his limp companion to the ground. Keeping his arm around her, he let her head rest against his pelt, since the other shoulder's spiked armor would not have been very comfortable. He considered just laying her down, but something in the physical contact had broken the mental hold, and he wanted to make sure she was back to normal before letting her go. Sesshomaru studied her, unsure of what do. She had been unconscious for an extended period of time.

Thryss moaned faintly, drawing his attention. Her face was extremely pale, and her eyes were darkly shadowed. She looked small and fragile as she lay quietly in his arms. He pushed the dark hair away to get a better look at the cut on her face. How odd. When he had tried to injure her before, it had been spectacularly unsuccessful, yet this time he had broken her skin without even realizing it. How had that happened? Sesshomaru sighed. This one small human had disrupted his life more than anyone else he had ever known. That included his idiot half-breed brother, Inu Yasha. Looking down at her sleeping face, he wondered what her reaction would be to his impulsive sibling. What ever it would be, it would probably not be favorable, he though in amusement.

Thryss emerged victorious against her Talisian half, although she wasn't feeling so victorious. The memory, vivid and savage, of having demolished the village, was very present as she started pushing through the exhausted haze that clouded her mind. She hated the lack of control when the destroyer took over, when all she could do was watch. Thryss hated above all else that feeling of being under someone else's control.

As she surfaced slowly out of the fog that had been clouding her mind during the inner battle, she noticed that she was leaning against something warm. Concluding Kephren must have stepped in to stop her, she relaxed against the warm chest and opened her eyes slowly. There was white fluffy fur, she noticed in confusion. Kephren didn't have white fluffy fur. Kephren wouldn't be caught dead in white fluffy fur. Suspiciously, Thryss raised her eyes to look beyond the fluff.

Calm golden eyes stared down at her from a pale face with a blue crescent moon and magenta stripes. Definitely not Kephren. How did this happen? She closed her eyes. Could she still be dreaming? She counted to ten and then tried opening her eyes again. Same golden eyes, but this time the brows had arched up toward the hairline.

As Thryss realized that it was indeed Lord Sesshomaru who held her, she also realized she was in a weakened state. She made an abrupt move to free herself, but he tightened his grip on her. Panic set in, the need for self defense rose sharp and intense, bringing with it the realization that her strength was seriously depleted.

"Stop struggling." He told her.

Unwilling to be restrained against her will, Thryss started to called up her psionic energy, but the presence of the destroyer impatiently waiting to get out, forced her to stop. Thryss grimly realized that without using her psionics, she wasn't physically strong enough to force him to release her. Not to mention she was feeling exhausted and strangely cold, now that the battle was over.

She heard the demon sigh in exasperation as she made another attempt to pull free. "Why are you fighting me?" he asked, maintaining a tight hold on her.

Thryss didn't answer, just glared at him. He almost looked amused. Thryss peered closer, but decided she must be even worse off than she'd thought. She felt so cold. Her teeth started to chatter, and she wished she were back home on Talis.

"Why are you so cold?" Sesshomaru wanted to know.

Good question. Thryss had never felt anything like this bizarre coldness before. She decided it must have resulted from her inner battle with the destroyer. The energy expenditure had been much higher than she would had expected.

"I think it is the effect of using too much psionic energy." Thryss said through chattering teeth. She knew she was showing dangerous weakness in front of the demon by not freeing herself, but she was so tired.

Sesshomaru frowned, not understanding. "Psionic?"

"The ability to control matter by mental command." she clarified.

He didn't answer, just pulled her closer, careful not to crush her fragile bones, trying to use his own warmth to stop her shaking. Thryss had no way of knowing how much her present appearance was distressing the demon. When she had opened her eyes the first time, her guard had been down, and the child she had once been was clearly visible. It had shaken the demon to his core to see so familiar an expression on her face. She had worn that same expression when he had rescued her as a child. He had known by scent that she was Rin, but hadn't completely accepted it, not really. The reality of it horrified him. The terrible dreams he had seen were real. In another life he had failed the carefree child who adored him. How long had it taken for this other world to steal her smile. A week? A day? An hour? A feeling of sickening guilt, unfamiliar and unwelcome, lodged in his gut at what he had not been able to prevent.

Gradually the shaking subsided and Thryss started to feel more like herself. She was still unsure why Sesshomaru had come to her aid. She had expected it to be Kephren; he was the one that had always been there for her. The _only_ one that had been there for her. With the demon lord, there was no way to guess what was going on in his head.

"You can let me go." She said.

Sesshomaru regarded her calmly, his golden eyes glowing slightly as the sunlight streamed across the ledge they were sitting on.

"Why did you attack the village?" He asked, ignoring her comment.

"I was challenged. My Talisian blood reacted." She said with a shrug.

"I have threatened you far more times than the villager." He observed.

"I did not care about the villager." She said truthfully.

Sesshomaru traced the cut on her cheek with one black claw tip. "How was I able to injure you?" He asked curiously. Thryss touched her finger to the cut, "I don't know." She said in surprise, causing the demon to feel quite pleased with himself.

"Why hasn't it healed?"

"I will do so in a while. I can still feel the destroyer. If I try to use any psionic energy right now, I might lose control." Thryss wondered why she had answered him. Admitting a weakness was taboo on Talis, so why hadn't she prevaricated with him? Or refused to answer what was none of his concern? It must be because he was no threat to her she concluded. After all, what other reason could there be. "Do you plan on letting me go any time in the near future?"

"I believe there may be a connection to your loss of control happening when I was separated from you." He said. "When I touched you, I felt the presence of an inhuman intelligence. It attempted to attack me, but failed. My having contact with you, seems to distract whatever it is that was controlling you"

He sounded a bit too smug in Thryss' opinion. Deciding now might be a good time to see if he had gotten over his phobia about having his person touched, Thryss reached and traced one of the magenta stripes on his cheek. Her wrist was immediately seized and removed from said cheek. "So, you can touch me, but I can't touch you?" she asked.

"As I told you, it is disrespectful." He answered.

"Then why is it alright for you to touch me?" She demanded.

"You may be unworthy to place hands on my person, but I have no such limitations." He answered, a predictably arrogant tone in his voice.

Sesshomaru totally ignored the expression of outraged disbelief now manifesting itself in her face as he traced a black claw along her bottom lip.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha

Chapter 13 : A Strange World

Disbelief and annoyance warred for dominance within Thryss as Sesshomaru traced her bottom lip with one black claw. She was astounded once again by the boundless arrogance that he seemed to possess. Moving to sit up from the semi-reclining position, her sudden movement caused the black claw that had been tracing her lip, to slip and draw a thin line of blood. Surprise didn't even begin to cover the astonishment that was in her eyes at she raised a hand to her lip and ran a finger across the scratch. Holding it up, she stared at the blood in bewilderment.

"How did you do that?" She asked.

"My claws are sharp." He answered dryly.

"My armor should have reacted." Thryss said, puzzled.

"You act as though this has never happened before."

"For as long as I have had the armor, it has never failed to respond defensively." Thryss said, tilting her head back to look at him, her dark hair sliding against the arm that held her.

Thryss was too busy mulling over this most unusual occurrence to notice that Sesshomaru was leaning down. The feel of his tongue demanded her undivided attention, as it ran along the cut his claw had left on her lip. Struck speechless by the unexpected caress, she remained motionless as he used the black clawed hand to tilt her head back even further. Thryss tried to move away, uneasy after the the last time he had touched her, but without using the psionic energy, she wasn't going anywhere. She breathed in sharply as he trailed his lips along her neck, the sharp fangs lightly grazing her skin. Leaving her neck, he pulled back slightly to study her curiously, his golden eyes seeming to glow slightly.

"What is it about you, that makes me enjoy the feel of your skin?" He mused.

Not waiting for an answer, he lowered his lips to hers in a soft kiss, running his tongue along the lower lip. He felt her start to relax against him as he gently pulled the soft skin through his fangs.

The hand that had been tilting her head back, slid down the back of her neck, coming to rest against the spine at the base of her neck. Thryss sighed softly as he slowly ran a black clawed finger against the spine, careful not to break the skin. Unlike last time, which had left her uneasy, she was finding this quite enjoyable. The light brush of his lips against hers wiped all thoughts from her mind as the sensation took control. Lost in the caress, it took a moment for her to come out of the pleasant fog when he pulled away. Her eyes opened slowly , almost drowsily, to meet a pair of very smug golden eyes.

"It would appear that you do not always have control over your emotions." He murmured running his fingers along the cool skin of her cheek.

The self-satisfied expression brought Thryss abruptly back to reality. Still trying to understand what had possessed him to touch her in the first place, she asked, "Why did you touch me?"

"It pleased me to do so." He said loftily.

"It pleased you to do so?" She echoed.

"Hn" Was all the answer she received as he continued to stroke her cheek.

Thryss decided it was time to move away from the conceited demon before he realized exactly how much he had effected her. To her exasperation he still didn't seem inclined to let her go.

"I have control again. Let me go." She demanded.

Thryss noted unhappily that the demon lord was having way to much fun discomfiting her. Glaring up at him angrily, she pushed against him in an attempt to move away.

"You didn't resist me before." The demon said, arching a pale brow.

"Considering you are the one who has issues with personal space, this continued contact amazes me." She said, looking up a him out of aggravated dark eyes.

"I never said I had issues with personal space, just disrespect." He corrected.

"But you do not consider it disrespectful that I am sitting on you?" She asked skeptically.

"How can it be disrespectful when I placed you there?" He answered as though this were obvious.

The blatantly egotistical answer made Thryss do something she thought she had forgotten how to do. She laughed.

The sound, so familiar, disturbed the demon. It was unsettling hearing the laugh that belonged to the child he was so familiar with come out of this woman, who was so different from the child.

"What happened to you?" He asked unexpectedly.

Thryss just looked at him, completely baffled.

"That laugh was the first thing from you that reminds me of Rin. What happened to change you so much?" He explained, seeing her confusion.

Thryss was silent, unsure if she was willing to answer.

"You don't need to tell me if don't want to." His statement resurrected a memory from a past she had thought forgotten.

"You said that to me before." She said frowning.

"Yes, shortly after you found me the first time." He answered.

Thryss looked into the golden eyes that were calmly watching her from behind silvery-white bangs, and decided to answer his question.

"My people are destroyers. This is our only purpose, the thing we train for from the time we can survive without assistance from the caretakers." She began.

"Caretakers?" He inquired.

"The caregivers supply the basic needs of the very young. Those who have not achieved a rank within the armies. This is the only thing these worthless individuals are capable of." she explained. Sesshomaru frowned slightly at her answer but remained silent.

"Once we are old enough to begin training, our constant goal is to increase in rank. This is achieved by challenging those of higher rank and defeating them. The winner then holds that rank. This is the basis of maturity. Challenges start very young, as soon as something exists for another to want for themselves, and continue until we die."

"How is the winner determined?" The demon lord asked.

"The winner is the one who still breathes." She said simply.

"It is always a fight to the death?"

"Yes; that is Talisian law." She confirmed.

"What of family?" He asked.

"That is the same word Rin used. I don't know that word." She said

"A family are those related to you by blood. We say the mother and father who gave birth to you. It would also include brothers and sisters, other children from these same parents. They are responsible for raising you and the others they conceive, responsible for your welfare and instruction." He explained, only to get another blank look.

"There is nothing like that. Only animals birth young. The warriors of Talis are engineered, to insure proper strength. Child and adults are kept in separate training centers." She said in confusion.

Sesshomaru frowned at the odd reply, "Then who ensures your safety?" He asked.

"Our safety?" she asked.

"Who protects you?" He clarified.

"Protects us?!" Thryss echoed in shock. "To suggest a Talisian stands in need of protection is an insult that would warrant the death of the one who suggests such weakness." Sesshomaru was caught off-guard at the indignation in her voice.

"You would be insulted, if some one cares about you?" The demon lord's pale brows elevated in astonishment.

Thryss saw something like her own incomprehension in the demon's golden eyes. He truly did not appear to understand.

"To depend on someone other than yourself is accepted here?" She asked with something like contempt in her tone of voice.

"It is an expression of devotion and loyalty. It shows the person has value to the one who protects them." He answered her.

"On Talis it is a sign a great weakness, and the weak are not worthy to be warriors of Talis. These individuals die at a young age, although some who survive basic training are kept alive to be the caretakers in their turn. They have no other value. To do anything that makes another appear weak must be answered by challenge.

Sesshomaru silently digested the disturbing convoluted logic that made up these people. It explained a great deal of why she went to such great pains to hide anything that might possibly look weak or helpless.

"This is why Kephren stood by and did nothing when you were injured." He concluded.

"You misunderstand. Had it been anyone but Keff, they would have killed me to assume my rank." She corrected him "He did not interfere out of respect."

"What exactly is he to you? A mate?" He queried.

Thryss considered his question; she wasn't exactly sure what he meant by mate. The way things were done here was so unnatural. "What is a mate?" She asked, wanting to define the meaning of the term before answering.

"It is the one you choose to spend your life with, and raise your young with." It felt like such an odd question, but was coming to seem like the norm of what could be expected to come from Thryss.

Thryss just stared at him speechless, her mouth slightly open as she tried to find some rational explanation for this bizzare concept.

"Is the idea of a mate that astonishing?" He asked dryly.

"I have never heard of such a thing. No, Keff is not a mate. Mates do not exist on Talis. I am not sure how to explain it. Keff holds my trust." She fumbled to try to explain the relationship.

"I take it trust is not common."

"No, trust is almost non-existent. You see, when you trust someone, they have the opportunity to take advantage of any weakness you may have. They are in a position to learn your weakness, and the ways around your strengths. It is a great risk to trust anyone." She said seriously. "The closest thing to our relationship that you have spoken of, to the degree I understand your meaning, would be family. You could call Keff my family." She concluded.

Thryss fell silent, fatigue from the earlier battle sapping her strength. These people still mystified her. Choosing a person to spend your life with? To live in constant danger? The people of this world would not survive for long on Talis. She sighed, raising her eyes to study the strange being that was Lord Sesshomaru. Feeling her eyes on him, the demon peered at her curiously. Her skin was far more pale than was common for humans. "How is it your skin is paler than even Rin's?"

She smiled slightly, weariness making her eyes heavy. Holding out a pale arm, so that the warm light of the sun shone on it, she said, "Our sun is blue, and with Talis being at the far edge of the solar system, it is much darker than this one. I expect the rays given off by our sun affect my skin color less than this sun has the skin of my younger self." She twisted her arm in the sunlight, watching the shadows that resulted.

"Why hasn't Rin shown any of the strength that you possess?" He asked, his heavy hair falling over her shoulder as he tilted his head down to address her.

"Oh, her Talisian blood will not become active unless she is actually taken to Talis. I did not even realize I wasn't fully human until I had been there for a while." She replied.

"So she would live a normal human life if she remains here?"

"Probably. As long as she remains on this world, there would be no way to know she is anything other than human." she answered. "I am uncertain what her natural lifespan would be if she remained here her whole life." Reaching up, Thryss traced a finger over his blue crescent moon. "Our moon appears blue also, but it is much paler than our sun." she was rambling with exhaustion. She didn't even realize that he had not rejected her touching him.

She was almost asleep when he heard her mumble quietly, "I will not allow her to watch you die. Not a second time."

Seshomaru pulled her close and leaned back on the rock wall along the rear of the ledge, reclining enough to allow her lay against him. She gave him a confused glance at the action, reflecting that she was treating him much as she treated Kephren. "You need to rest before we return." He told her as he settled her more comfortably, her head on his pelt.

Too exhausted to resist, she laid quietly against him, the warm breeze ruffling the fine tendrils of her hair. Sesshomaru ran his claws through the shining locks, enjoying the feel of its silky length and the peaceful moment.

The sound of thunder woke Thryss from her slumber. She found herself curled against the demon quite comfortably. Still wondering at her acceptance of this arrogant lord, she looked up to find him watching the coming storm. Following his gaze, she sleepily noticed that the clouds were unusually dark. Too dark her mind supplied. Suddenly wide awake, Thyrss bolted upright, startling Sessohomaru with the sudden monvement.

"What is it?" He asked, no longer restraining her.

"They are opening a gate!" She said in alarm getting to feet. "We need to get back. Right now! They are coming for her!"

Although he didn't understand her concern over this gate thing, her urgency was evident. Not asking her to elaborate, he settled his arm around her, lifted and headed swiftly back to where Rin had been waiting.

The clouds darkened ominously as they approached the village. The wind kicked up, blowing the demon's heavy hair around his face. He could feel the strange energy in the air, similar to what he had felt coming from Thryss earlier.

A black object streaked past them, lightening fast. "Keff!" Thryss exclaimed as she watched the Talisian dive for the gate.

"What is he doing here? I left him at the village." The demon asked.

"He was making sure I did not wake up still controlled by the destroyer." She said.

Sesshomaru made a disgruntled sound as they descended.

Kephren was already on the ground when they arrived, his silver hair blowing wildly as the storm strengthened.

"Do you see Rin?" Thryss asked.

Kephren shook his head negatively as he scanned the area. Seeing the unconscious body of Jaken, he went over and knelt down next to him.

Following Kephren to where the toad lay unconscious, they watched as Jaken was rudely shaken until he groaned and held up a warty green hand in protest. Coming to his senses the toad shot to feet, "My lord, they have taken her. I could not stop them!" He screeched.

Kephren looked from where he had found the toad passed out, to where the gate had opened. It was obvious the toad had simply fainted dead away in fright.

Kephren narrowed his eyes and concentrated on where the gate had opened. "The gate has not completely closed yet, we can follow them." He surmised.

"Explain." The demon lord demanded.

"The gate has not closed completely. We can reopen it and follow them." Thryss explained.

Kephren studied the demon with interest, when it became clear that Sesshomaru planned on accompanying them, "You will probably die on Talis you know." He informed the demon, raising a silver eyebrow. Sesshomaru snorted, not bothering to answer.

"Very well. Come, the gate lies just past those trees." Kephren said, starting toward the gate and the eye of the storm.

As they made their way to the trees that Kephren had indicated, lightening flashed through the ominous dark clouds. The air felt preternaturally cold as the energy of the gate fed the growing storm. The biting wind whipped Kephren's gleaming silver hair back from his face as he stopped at the point where the gate had been opened.

Kephren gave the demon an appraising look as he prepared to reopen the gate. Sesshomaru looked at him expectantly. Kephren shrugged in acquiescence and extended his hand toward where the gate had opened. The air blurred around the Talisian's ebon skinned hand, then whorled into itself, like a whirlpool. The shifting air stilled, creating a wide dark void-like opening. Without another word, Kephren stepped into the abyss, Thryss following immediately after.

"Interesting." The demon lord murmured as he approached the gate. Stopping at the entrance, he looked back at Jaken who was staring in open-mouthed disbelief. Then taking a deep breath, he turned back to the sinister void, and stepped through.

Authors Note: Did you like this chapter? Let me know. Thanks.


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha

Chapter 14: Talis

Stepping out of the darkness with a feeling of relief, the first thing that struck the demon was that the colors were unnatural. He looked up into a sky with a sun that was blue. How could a sun be blue? Everything he saw was eerie and alien. The demon lord found himself unsettled. Pulling his eyes from the unearthly color of the sun, his gaze took in a landscape unlike anything he had ever seen. At first glance everything--the rocks, the ground, the trees, even the water—appeared almost black in color. Glancing around he began to realize that distance gave objects that dark color. Objects closer to him had color, though not like any he had ever seen. A pale blue mist hung above the water's surface. Trees rose with blue-gray trunks and blue-green leaves. Looking up one of the trees that surrounded them, he placed a hand against its trunk. It didn't feel like wood. It was smooth like a stone from the bottom of a riverbed, but he could feel energy pulsating under its cold surface, almost like the throbbing pulse of blood. At the queer feeling he pulled his hand away sharply, disconcerted by the unexpected sensation.

"You should be honored. You are one of the few who have traveled to Talis and arrived still living." Kephren said coming up to him.

Sesshomaru turned his attention to Kephren, and found himself staring. The peculiar blue light dramatically altered his appearance. The hair which had been so blindingly bright, was now a softly glowing silvery-blue. The eyes were now silvery-blue also, but the skin, which had been coal black, had a blue sheen where it reflected the unearthly blue light of the sun. Kephren, seeing his expression grinned widely, "I know I am pretty, but you can admire me later when there is more time."

The demon snorted in disgust and abruptly turned away, to find himself facing Thryss. Like Kephren, the light changed the way she looked. Her pale skin, now glowed a soft pale blue. The dark hair was now impossibly black. So black, it seemed to absorb light. She was quite beautiful in the alien light, Sesshomaru grudgingly admitted to himself. He had previously found her attractive, but in this light, she no longer looked so human, and somehow it suited her.

"They will probably have taken her to train with the young ones." Thryss said, drawing the demon out of his reverie. She nodded to the left, beyond the shining black lake. Sesshomaru turned his attention toward the direction that she had indicated.

Massive gleaming black structures towered over them. Their sheer size and bulk had mislead him to assume that they were part of a mountain. The incredible height shouldn't have even been possible. The structure was roughly rectangular, but the straight lines narrowed as they rose. Strange. No sign windows either. Sesshomaru found he was not feeling as sure of himself as he usually did.

"It must be overwhelming to see such grandeur for one such as you." came the irritating voice. Sesshomaru scowled at this creature who, to all appearances, lived to mock him. "If you have recovered from the understandable awe that our world inspires, we should get going." Kephren needled him, delighted with the murderous glare that the demon was aiming at him. The Talisian gestured toward the ominous dark edifice, his silvery-blue eyes gleaming as he waited for them to proceed.

Thryss fell in step beside Sesshomaru as they crossed what he supposed was grass, except that it was stiff and crunched under their feet. Who ever heard of brittle grass? The demon lord sighed to himself. When had he become so rash?

"What is this building we are heading for." he asked, pondering the purpose of the unusual structure.

"It is where the young are housed." she answered.

"What do you mean by young?" he asked.

"Age is calculated differently here, but it would be comparable to ages four to eight years."

"Children the age of four are on their own?" he inquired quietly.

"Do you find that odd?" she asked looking up at him, her face a pale blue as the light washed over it.

"Children that young are not prepared to fend for themselves. What happens if they need assistance?" Sesshomaru wasn't sure he wanted the answer. Thryss shrugged, explaining what was natural to her, "Then they learn how to survive by themselves, or they die."

Sesshomaru digested this cold, unpalatable answer. "How did you survive?" He wanted to know.

Thryss stared at him silently, "I am not weak. You do what must be done." she finally answered.

Sesshomaru looked away from her to the looming black building they were approaching. Despite his night vision being much better than a human's, he still looked forward to sunrise. Although he could see fairly well, the low illumination was another unsettling element in an unsettling world. Turning back to her, he asked, "How long till daybreak?"

"It is the middle of the day." she said looking at him oddly.

This was the middle of the day? What was the night like? The demon's unhappy thoughts, were soon forgotten as Kephren directed them to another building, a much smaller black shape. The Talisian walked up to one of the walls and waited for them.

Kephren eyes shined with an impish light as the demon stood staring at the blank wall. Suspecting that the annoying thing was somehow mocking him again, Sesshomaru scowled at it in displeasure. Grinning at the demon's discomfiture, Kephren moved to wall, and then walked through it. Sesshomaru blinked. Walking over he placed a hand against the smooth surface. It was solid. He was really starting to hate this place. He looked at Thryss with a raised eyebrow. She smiled slightly, "It is controlled by telekinesis." she informed him.

The demon lord was staring at her in incomprehension, when a black hand reached out and grabbed his arm, and yanked him through the wall. A most unpleasant coldness went through him as he passed though what had just been solid stone.

Kephren released the demon's arm as he exited the wall. Sesshomaru found himself in a small, sparsely furnished room. A faint blue light without any apparent source, illuminated the room.

Looking around curiously he noted ledges protruding out of the walls, forming a sort of low bench. In the middle of the floor was a slender black pedestal that stood about four feet tall and had the same rectangular shape as the outside of the building.

Thryss emerge from the wall behind him and walked over to Kephren, who was standing in front of the pedestal. Upon placing a dark hand above it, a blue light began to glowed softly, then gradually brightened until a solid beam of light stretched from the pedestal to the ceiling. Kephren stepped back, and came to stand beside them.

"What were you doing?" The demon finally asked, curiosity getting the best of him.

"Opening a gate into the children's training center." He replied.

Not understanding, the demon decided to wait and see what happened. It didn't take long. The column of light began to split apart, curving outward and widening as it extended from the pedestal until a long blue cone was formed. Sesshomaru took one look at the unnatural tunnel, and decided walking to the other building was an excellent idea. Only, how did he get out of this room? The wall was once again solid and there were no doors or windows.

"It is the quickest way." Thryss said, seeing his unease.

"How can this tunnel of light assist us?" He demanded.

It was Kephren who answered. "You walk into the light, your molecules are disassembled on this side, and reassembled on the other."

Sesshomaru frowned, "That does not sound wise."

Kephren smirked and walked into the light, sparing a backward glance for the demon. Daring him to follow.

"Come." Thryss said as she followed Kephren into the light.

The demon lord didn't like the command. He didn't like the strange tunnel, and he didn't like this bizarre world. Grumbling to himself, he followed them into the glowing blue gate. He felt energy crackle along his skin, like thousands of tiny needles; he felt himself being drawn toward the end of the tunnel, an odd stretching sensation, then confusion. He was unable to focus, his thoughts seemed scattered and fragmented. Just when it seemed like he couldn't stand anymore, he found himself being propelled out of the tunnel. Cold, shaking, and disoriented, he stumbled from the gate. Never, never again, would he willingly enter the blue cone of light, he swore to himself.

They stepped out into a long empty hallway. Everything was dark—the walls, floor and even the ceiling. Everything looked to be made of the same dark material. It looked something like marble, the smooth black surface gleaming with the pale blue light. The demon was a bit perturbed by light that had no origin. It just glowed all around them. In fact, is actually followed them as they made their way through a maze of identical halls brightening by degrees ahead of them and, he could see when he glanced back, fading behind them. Sesshomaru had always thought he had a good sense of direction. He found it inoperative here, and that knowledge did not make for a happy demon. He stayed close. If they got separated he did not relish the idea of having to track them in this eerie black maze.

Kephren finally stopped in front of one of the walls, and frowned. Come to think of it, it was the first time Sesshomaru had seen the creature exhibit any kind of uncertainty. The demon felt a surge of satisfaction. Kephren looked to Thryss, who was also studying the spot. "Something is wrong?" Sesshomaru inquired, his voice echoing loudly in the empty corridor.

"This indicates an intelligence-based training room." Thryss answered, confusion in her voice.

"Why would that be unusual?" The demon asked.

"It would mean the young are being engineered for certain qualities." She said still staring at the wall.

The demon walked closer to the area that held her attention, to get a look at what they were studying. Engraved in the wall, about a hands width from the ceiling was a strange symbol. If he had not been looking for it, he would not have seen it.

"It is time we ask some questions." Kephren decided, placing a hand under the symbol. The stone seemed to blur, thin and then become transparent. Motioning them to follow, he walked through the vaporous wall. Thryss and Sesshomaru followed him into a large room that was lighted with the same pale blue light, though this one was more brightly lit, the entire interior of the room evenly illuminated. In the room was a group of young children. They glanced up from whatever had their attention and looked toward them. Moving forward, Kephren stopped in the middle of the floor and said something to them in a language that was full of sounds like wind and turbulent air. The demon stood silently beside Thryss watching to see what the Talisian was up too. His golden eyes widened as the group of small children approached Kephren, forming a semi-circle in front of him. Sesshomaru noted that some of them were black, like Kephren, while others had silvery blue skin. They all, though, had the same hair color that the creature did. The children were slight, to the point of seeming fragile, and extremely beautiful. If he had not seen them move, he could have mistaken them for sculptures, so perfect were their features.

The children stood a bit back from the unfamiliar warrior who questioned them. Their cold eyes held none of the happiness or joy, that one would normally expect to see in children. Their stillness and silence was unnerving.

Kephren spoke to the group, although the demon could not understand the words. At first there was no answer. The children's eyes, hard and cold shifted to Thryss and the demon, watching them with a disturbing calculating expression. Sesshomaru felt Thryss stiffen as their gaze came to rest on her. Leaving his side, she walked up to the tallest of the group, who barely came to her shoulder, and lashed out at the child. The black armor slid over her hand and wrist like a glove. The force of the blow sending the small, fragile form flying into the wall. The child hit the wall with a loud crack and slid to the floor.

The demon was amazed that instead of whimpering or crying, the child got up and snarled menacingly, but did not challenge her. It was obvious that only self-preservation prevented the child from attacking her. Thryss spoke to child in the same language that Kephren had used. The child's answer did not appear to please either Thryss or Kephren. Turning away from the group, Kephren indicated they were to leave. Following silently, the demon pondered the odd children of this world. Thryss had spent her youth here, with these hard, emotionless youngsters, with eyes too old for ones so young. So different from Rin, who was like sunshine made human. The longer he was here, the more Sesshomaru disliked this cold, cruel world.

"She is not here." Thyrss said in frustration.

"What did they say?" Sesshomaru asked.

"They said there were rumors of one with my coloring, but she is not in any the regiments." she said frowning.

"This is odd?" He inquired.

"On our world, there is no division of regiments. This strongly indicates selective engineering." It was Kephren who answered.

"How does this effect where she might be?" The demon asked, not understanding.

"Selective engineering makes experimentation almost a certainty. It they are experimenting with the way we are engineered, the question is why, and where does Rin fit into this? They came for her intentionally. They knew she was on your world, and they were apparently waiting to retrieve her. Why?" Kephren's normally easy going demeanor vanished, and in its place stood the being that caused other races to quail in fear, that which they called _A Creature of Nightmares._

Authors Note: Whew! This chapter was a challenge. I hope I did okay. Did you like it? Please let me know. Thanks for reviewing!


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha

Chapter 15: New Experiences

"We should not use the same gate a second time." Kephren said, leading them through a seemingly endless maze of passages.

For once, Sesshomaru found himself in total agreement with the annoying creature.

"If things are the same, there is an isolated gate we can get to if we glide." Kephren continued, "If I remember correctly, it will provide a connection that will allow us to access the collective."

"Glide?" The demon inquired.

"It is a common way to spend free time for the Imperial Guard. We can use our armor to glide on currents of energy." Thryss explained as they followed Kephren through the dark corridor. Sesshomaru could tell they were climbing by the sudden incline of the floor that was occurring at regular intervals. The upward movement continued for some time until they reached the final floor. As he had done previously, Kephren placed a hand under a symbol on the wall and passed through.

Sesshomaru found himself on what he guessed must be the roof. It, too, was black, though slanted slightly to one side. A cool wind lifted the demons heavy hair, which was a pale blue in the faint light. His flesh also appeared a pale blue like his hair, he scowled at the displeasing and unwanted difference.

"Lord Sesshomaru, we must leave." Thryss called, drawing his attention.

He watched as Thryss snapped out her hand, causing black metal to flare out. She had formed a paper thin, flexible platform. Stepping on to it, she turn to the demon and indicated he was to join her.

"I have no need to travel in such a way." He informed her, preparing to call up his demonic energy.

"We must not use our energy. There are security sensors all over Talis. The sensors are set to pick up any increased output and alert the Guard." Thryss said, motioning for him to join her on the flimsy black disk.

"Then how is it you can use energy without alerting the authorities?" He asked peevishly.

"We glide on currents of natural energy. It does not originate from us, we only manipulate it." She answered.

"_That_ will not hold me." He declared, eying the disk suspiciously.

Thryss smiled slightly and shook her head. "Do not underestimate the strength of our armor. Come, ride with me." she invited with a challenging quirk of an eyebrow.

The demon's face took on a decidedly mulish expression.

"If it eases your fear, you may ride with me demon." Kephren offered solicitously.

Sesshomaru glared with irritation at the creature, and stepped onto the disk beside Thryss. As soon as he positioned himself on the disk, his feet sank into the metal slightly, creating a natural foot hold, giving him a considerably more stability. Sesshomaru kept an admirably calm expression in place as the disk proceeded to hover above the roof. To his surprise, he did not break through the thin disk, instead the flexible metal shifted to support his weight as he moved. As he settled beside her, he reflected how these two individuals had managed to throw his life into chaos, and were not in the least grateful, that he, the lord of the western lands, had gone out of his way to aid them. Their lack of appreciation would not be forgotten, Sesshomaru thought as the disk lifted off the surface.

All thought of their ingratitude fled as the disk hovered at the edge, then dove off sliding down the steeply angled slope of the roof.

Sesshomaru swallowed a very undemon-like desire to shriek, as they almost free-fell down the long slanted expanse. It was more falling than gliding, and they were moving at an incredible speed. Thryss leaned forward, wrapping an arm around his waist. She was taking liberties without asking permission again, he noted sourly.

"Prepare yourself." She yelled into his ear over the air rushing past them as they gathered speed. He didn't make an answer, but followed her example, and leaned forward, balancing himself. The disk raced to the edge, caught a current of air, and glided off. Thryss shifted slightly adjusting the energy currents to help the demon lord find his balance. She had a feeling he would be most unhappy if he fell off. There were a few extremely unsettling moments, but then Sesshomaru began to understand how to adjust his position and balance as they surfed along the currents, and found himself actually enjoying the experience. Thryss glanced over and caught his eye, grinning at his obvious enjoyment.

Her hair whipped in front of her eyes in the wind, and her face was alight with unconcealed glee. The demon lord saw Rin's laughing delight behind Thryss' eyes, a ghostly reminder of what was at stake if he failed her. Though, he realized, this older version of the child would be insulted at the mere idea of requiring assistance. Amusement flashed across his eyes, and his lips quirked up into an answering smile. Thryss blinked in surprise at the unexpected response.

They glided over the Talisian landscape, skimming over dark blue-green vegetation. The landscape began to change as they put some distance between themselves and the building. The land became more barren. Deep crevices in the earth pierced peculiar rock formations, resembling a giant labyrinth. An inky black river snaked beneath them as they glided through the disorienting maze. Ledges protruding unexpectedly from the cliffs necessitated a quick response from the tall demon lord to avoid repeatedly hitting his head as they sailed past. The air was cool, but pleasant, and Sesshomaru felt himself starting to relax as they rode the currents, dipping and weaving with the flow of energy. As they glided through the cliffs that towered above them, he noted that the stone had an odd marbled appearance. The majority of the rock was a pale blue with maroon streaks spidering through it, creating a vaguely web-like effect. The appearance was as if the rocks had been caught in the strands of an enormous web spun by some demented spider. The color of the sheer rock walls darkened as they disappeared into the blue mist that rose from the river far below.

A black building came into sight as the exited the rocky labyrinth. They glided to a stop as they neared the building, the black disk absorbing back into Thryss' skin. Sesshomaru noticed that this building was similar to the one they had stopped at earlier. Kephren passed through the wall of this one as well, watching to see the demon's reaction. Whatever reaction he'd expected was doomed to disappointment as Sesshomaru calmly followed him.

Upon entering the building Kephren walked to the far wall, "I am going to join with the collective. Perhaps I can find something useful." He said, before passing out of the room.

Thryss lifted her arms above her head and stretched. "It feels good to be back. Even if this is an alternate world." Looking around thoughtfully, she suddenly announced, "I'm hungry."

Sesshomaru raised a brow at the comment, but followed in silence as she led him through yet another wall. What did these people have against doorways? The room they entered had more furnishing than what he had seen so far, although it didn't look like any furniture he had seen. In the middle of the floor was a large, curving thing. Larger than a chair, it sloped in toward the center, making it look like a large shallow bowl. The demon was busy scrutinizing the odd furnishing when Thryss returned, holding something that was black and spongy, and vaguely rectangular. Sesshomaru couldn't hide his disgust when she broke off of a piece and popped it into her mouth.

"Are you hungry?" She asked.

"I don't eat human food." He said haughtily.

Thyrss grinned, "Does this look human?" She queried holding up the revolting black sponge for his inspection.

"What is that repulsive thing?" He asked disgusted.

"It is a complete food." She answered.

Sesshomaru leaned down to examine the revolting black spongy block, "This is food?" Reaching out one clawed finger, he tentatively prodded the dark mass. Its cold spongy surface dented in where he touched it and then oozed back into shape when he removed the claw. It was the most singularly disgusting thing he had ever seen, and he had seen a lot.

Thryss nodded, and to the demon's disgust, popped another piece in her mouth. Unable to watch, Sesshomaru turned his back on her and moved away. He returned to his consideration of the strange object in the middle of the room.

Thryss hid a smile at the demon's baffled expression. It was very unlike what he was used to. She just hoped he wouldn't shred it with his claws when he sat on it and it started moving under his backside. She hid a smile at the mental image of the demon lord attempting to kill the _conformer, _when it showed the ultimate disrespect of actually touching his person as it conformed to his body.

"It is a _conformer._" She said.

He gave her with a blank look.

"It will conform to whatever shape you desire." She explained walking over. Seeing him eye her dinner with acute distaste, she surreptitiously set it aside.

Thryss sat down and leaned back. The _conformer_ immediately began to shift, altering its shape to cradle her comfortably. She said nothing as he studied the oddity. The demon was a proud creature and she had no desire to humiliate him.

"Interesting" He said, reaching down to touch it.

"Sit down."

He raised a brow and declined.

She tilted her head back to look at him, as he towered over her. He reached down to smooth an errant tendril from her face.

"I will not leave Rin to this world's mercy." He remarked, almost to himself.

"Kephren will tear this world apart to get to her. I promise, we will return her to you."

"Why is he concerned for her?" His expression held confusion as he gazed at her.

Thryss didn't answer immediately, considering how much to tell him. How much he could understand.

"This is my world, my home, and has been for as long as I can remember." She began. Thyrss leaned back further, staring at the ceiling. She continued thoughtfully as the demon looked down at her. "I would not change my life here, but when I was young it was" she paused, "difficult."

Sesshomaru, sensing she had not talked about this often, cautiously lowered himself onto the conformer. He slowly reclined and propped his head on his hand, a pale, elegant shadow as he waited patiently for her to continue.

"I am unique because of my human blood. There are no others like me. Because of this, I was considered an outsider—I didn't belong. Even after I proved my worthiness, Kephren was the only one who would acknowledge me." She stopped unsure of how to continue. "I believe he desires to spare her the isolation I endured as a child."

"Why did you strike the child?" He asked suddenly, changing the subject. She glanced at him in surprise.

"I did not believe it necessary to kill him." She said. From the expression on his face, that had not been the answer he was expecting.

"Kill Him?"

"Yes, I should have killed him for the disrespect." She sighed, staring at the ceiling. "So many have died by my hand, yet ...I do not enjoy killing." she finally said. Examining her slender hands, she mused that they should be stained with blood. She could not even begin to count how many had died by her hand, yet they remained pale, and without blemish.

"Then what you did was a kindness?" He asked, astounded.

"Kindness?" she repeated. "That is not something to be proud of. You could call my action a kindness, although it would be more appropriate to say that it was a lesson. If he learns from this experience he may survive. If not, another will kill him." She remained silent as the demon pondered this information.

"Some of the children were a different color." He remarked.

"Those are the females." She answered.

His eyes widened in surprise, "Males and females are different colors?"

"Yes."

Like some species of birds, he realized, where the males were one color pattern and the females were generally a more muted variation. Sesshomaru fell silent, lost in thought.

Thryss reached out and touched the black metal stripes on his new arm. As far as she could tell, he had not been able to command the armor yet. Running a finger along the shining metal, she considered what effect his demon blood might have on it.

Sesshomaru grabbed, and unceremoniously removed her hand from his wrist. Startled, she raised her eyes to meet his angry glare. Grasping both wrists, he pushed her back into against the _conformer_. "Why do you have this continual disregard for my person?" He asked, in exasperation.

"I enjoy the feel of your skin." She said matter-of-factly.

Sesshomaru stared down at her, his annoyance clearing showing on his face. "So you like the feel of my skin?"

"Yes."

Still holding her wrists, he leaned down to lightly brush his lips against hers, his long hair moving across her in a silky caress. He pulled back, noted her indignant expression with satisfaction, then kissed her again, running his tongue along her lips. His slid his tongue through her lips, then brushed it slowly along her teeth, and finally her tongue. The kiss was odd, not the way her people kissed, and it was making her feel a bit uneasy. He pulled back slightly, and caught her bottom lip between his fangs, pricking her skin as the sharp tips slid along it.

Thryss felt him pull back and opened her eyes, noticing that Sesshomaru's pupils had dilated and his eyes glowed faintly. Transferring both of her wrists to one hand, he made a quick adjustment and flipped her onto her stomach. She started to twist around to see what he was doing, when he grasped the back of her neck between his fangs, holding her immobile. To shocked to move, she felt him place his free hand on her back, just under where her neck was held securely in his fangs. Her expression turned incredulous as her armor obligingly moved out of the way of its own accord, allowing him access to her skin. Sliding the hand down her spine, his claws causing goosebumps as they lightly scraped along the flesh. Upon reaching the small of her back, he used the hand to hold her hip steady. He released her neck and trailed his fangs along her spine, down toward where his hand was holding her in place.

Reaching her lower back, he slid the hand down to grasp the back of her upper thigh, while running his tongue along the skin where her spine curved. He heard her gasp at the sensation and arch her back in response. The demon gently closed his fangs along her lower back piecing the skin slightly. He smelled fear and then her energy started to spike. Moving his mouth back up to her ear he murmured, "You fear my touch?"

"I fear nothing!" Thryss hissed.

"Then why can I smell your fear?" The softly whispered words stirring the strands of hair near her ear.

Thryss did a good imitation of a growl, and tried to twist free, but without using any of her psionic energy, she wasn't strong enough to free herself. Sesshomaru felt the energy begin to build again.

"I believe I was told we were not to use any energy, or we could be detected." He murmured, still holding her immobile.

"What do you think you are doing?" She demanded, outraged.

"You said you enjoyed the feel of my skin." He said quietly, his lips brushing her ear, smirking at her irregular breathing. Her prized self control was in jeopardy, he noted in satisfaction.

"Your skin, yes, but you _bit_ me!" She exclaimed.

"Of course, I am a dog demon." He said in amusement.

Thryss made a muffled sound of disbelief, her face still buried in the _conformer._ Twisting her head sideways, "That is ridiculous. What possible need could you have for biting me?" She said indignantly.

Sesshomaru stifled a laugh at her incensed tone. "To hold you in place." He explained.

"Hold me in place for what?" She asked peevishly.

When he didn't answer, she twisted further, to see his expression. The slit pupils of his golden eyes were very wide, and his eyes shimmered. He raised a brow at her, wondering at her denseness.

Thryss gaped at him opened mouthed, unable to speak as understanding dawned.

"Nothing to say?" he inquired, before flipping her back over. Releasing her wrists he moved his hands to rest on either side of her, suspending himself above her as his long pale hair effectively curtained them off from view. Leaning down he softly kissed her then moved away, letting her up. He had scared her, he could smell it. He wondered what is was that had unsettled her so. It didn't look like he was about to get an answer though, judging from her wrathful expression.

"Was the kiss truly so strange?" He asked.

Thryss frowned, confused. He had unnerved her, and she didn't appreciate it. "Why is your race aggressive, when it comes to something that should be savored?" She finally asked.

"That is what distressed you? Aggression?" He asked in surprise.

Thryss scowled at at him. The answer was obvious. Sesshomaru thought over how she had reacted. He knew he had made her uneasy, that was on purpose. He had also caught the scent of fear, yet there was no doubt she had responded to him.

"I felt your response. Can you tell me you did not enjoy my touch?" He challenged.

Actually she had. A lot, and it made her insecure. She didn't like not being in control. Getting up from the bed, Thryss walked away from him. "I do enjoy when you touch me, but you do not act predictably."

Sesshomaru smirked inwardly. It was nice to know he could unnerve her so easily. He didn't dwell on the subject of his own response. He had been astonished at the strength of his reaction, after all, she was a lowly human. Well, he couldn't really call her lowly. She was more powerful than any human he had ever met. More power than most demons for that matter. That very strength, made her discomfiture that much more rewarding.

Kephren entered the room, creating a welcome distraction. "I believe I have found a place to start looking for the child." He announced. His silvery-blue eyes narrowed as he took in the tense atmosphere between Thryss and the demon.

"Come with me." Kephren commanded Thryss, moving back toward the wall.

Sesshomaru watched in disapproval as Thryss obediently followed the creature out of the room. After they left, he leaned back, hands behind his head, secure in the knowledge that Kephren would never affect her the way he did. Of course, why that would matter to him at all, he didn't bother to question.

Thryss followed Kephren into the next room curiously. Once she had stopped, he circled around coming to a stand behind her. Lifting the dark hair away from her neck, he pushed her head forward to inspect the bite mark on her neck.

"What are you doing?" She asked, wondering at his odd behavior.

"You allowed him hurt you. Why?" Kephren's voice was quiet, but she could hear the barely controlled fury.

"I did not permit it. My armor did not react when he bit me." She explained.

"He bit you?" Kephren echoed dumbfounded.

"Yes. Apparently it is normal for him." She said, equally bewildered.

"It he distracts you to the point where you do not defend yourself, he will get you killed." Kephren was furious. She was so used to the relaxed facade he always assumed, it was disconcerting to see him so agitated. Kephren _never_ allowed his emotions to show.

He released her and spun around, heading back toward the demon.

"Do not harm him." Thryss ordered him.

Kephren did not respond as he left the room.

Authors Note: This chapter started out short. Really. I planned on 4 maybe 5 pages. I ended up with 10! Did it keep your attention? I don't want you to get bored. If you liked this, let me. Thanks for your reviews.


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha

Chapter 16

Sessomaru studied the dark ceiling, disinterested in the sound of Kephren's soft steps crossing the floor. Lifting the demon with one hand, Kephren flung him violently across the room. Flipping around and landing on his feet, the astonished demon noted that the Talisian's size, belied his strength.

"If you want to die, why don't you just say so." The demon lord's menacing growl vibrated the stone floor.

Kephren's hand was a dark blur as he reached for the demon, seizing his throat and cutting off the airflow. "I have not interfered, at Thryss' request; but if your presence weakens her, make no mistake, I will end your worthless life." The Talisian's silvery-blue eyes gleamed coldly. A chill passed through the demon. The pupiless stare and wind-like voice were decidedly unnerving.

Sesshomaru golden eyes flashed angrily as he pried the Talisian's hand from his throat, "What I choose to do is none of your concern." the words were more of a snarl.

Taking hold of one smooth black arm, he sent the creature flying toward the opposite wall. Twisting mid-air, Kephren landed feet first, and pushed off the wall in one smooth motion, launching himself back at the demon. The impact slammed Sesshomaru into the floor. Looking down, Kephren poised a dark hand, fingers extended toward the demon. Using his armor to elongate his hand, he aimed the long, wickedly sharp spikes at Sesshomaru's throat. The Talisian trembled slightly as he struggled to control the unfamiliar rage that screamed for the demon's blood.

"Do you think she will be human when she is on your world?" Kephren's slivery eyes narrowed, barely controlled fury twisting his face. "She will never belong to your world. She is no longer the child you seek. That child ceased to exist when she left your world behind. She will never be human again."

Sesshomaru shifted his weight, tossing the creature off him. Balancing himself on the balls of his feet, he said, "What she chooses is of no concern to me."

"Then when the child is reclaimed, you will not object when Thryss returns to Talis with me?" Kephren challenged.

Seshomaru crouched with one hand resting on the floor beside his feet, ready to attack. He would not allow Rin or Thryss to remain on this cursed world. What Kephren wanted made no difference to him.

"That decision is not yours to make." Sesshomaru unequivocally informed him.

"You know nothing animal. You are merely a curiosity. Why do think she sought you out?" Not waiting for an answer, he continued, "You are merely the long dead ghost of a past that has aroused her interest. She cares nothing for you or this world. Once her curiosity is satisfied she will kill you, and leave your world to its fate. She belongs to me, she always has, nothing you do you will change that fact."

"You are jealous." The demons golden eyes widen at the realization.

Kephren asked inquisitively, "Jealous?"

"You envy me." Sesshomaru replied, feeling rather pleased at the notion.

The anger drained from Kephren at the demon's words, "You don't understand. You have only known Thryss for a few short days. I have known her for a millennium. Believe me when I tell you, that you do not know her. Granted, she has shown you an amazing amount of leniency. I can only assume it stems from long buried memories; but Thyrss is one of us, never forget that. You are a piece of the past that puzzles her, nothing more. She will kill you, without hesitation and without regret, if she believes you are weakening her." Kephren met the demon's eyes with a steady gaze, deciding to let him live, for now.

Sesshomaru snorted, "I was correct, you are jealous."

A silvery-blue eyebrow quirked at the demons total disregard to what he had said, "And you are a most obstinate animal."

"Indeed."

"Come, we must discuss the child." Kephren said, turning his back on the demon, dismissing his desire for blood, as he prepared to pass through the wall.

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Sesshomaru found himself face to face with the blue cone of light once more. The demon was by no means a cowardly creature, but he had a strong adverse reaction to the thought of entering it again. Last time had not been pleasant, and anything that unpleasant was definitely to be avoided. He felt the creatures unnatural silvery gaze settle on him. There was no way Kephren would be able to keep silent, Sesshomaru thought in disgust.

"Silence."

Kephren gave the demon a wide-eyed stare, "I haven't said anything."

"Silence does not come readily with you."

"Ah, you are nervous. The gate must be quite unsettling for you." Kephren said, nodding wisely as he moved purposefully into the blue light.

The creature moved into the cone, light sparkling against his skin as his body started to disintegrate and finally vanish like so much dust.

"Well, that was something he wished he hadn't seen; gives the word '_unsettled'_ a whole new meaning." Sesshomaru thought ruefully.

Sesshomaru felt his whole body brace for flight as he neared the gate, although no such undignified thoughts showed on his face as he moved into the light.

Thryss followed behind the demon, silently sympathizing with him. She had used gates her whole life and still hated them. She said nothing, though, not wishing to abuse the demon's pride. Kephren took a bizarre delight in tormenting him, but at least he hadn't actually injured him. When he had gone after the demon earlier, she had thought he meant to harm him.

Sesshomaru entered the gate, against his better judgment, and came out the other side wishing he had followed his initial instinct to flee. There was no longer any question about it, he hated gates. As his fragmented thoughts returned to their normal order, he took stock of his surroundings.

He stood in what he supposed must be the engineering building. He still didn't totally understand the concept, but as a child, he had learned about cross breeding to achieve better livestock or plants. Engineering followed the same idea, if he understood correctly. He found the idea of doing the same thing to people distasteful, even if they weren't human or demon.

Sesshomaru silently studying the odd building as he followed the creature. The color of the stone was the same dark marble-like stuff, and the familiar blue light followed them as they made their way down the empty corridor. The rest was quite different. The symbols engraved on the wall were larger and glowed faintly as they passed. The walls instead of being smooth, were carved with a vine-like pattern, only there were no leaves or flowers, making the vine resemble blood vessels as it criss-crossed the walls. Blue lights glittered along the stone vine as it snaked down the hall. The floor was smooth, but the ceiling had one large vine or artery, depending how you looked at, winding down its long length.

Kephren stopped in front of one glowing symbols and placed his hand under it, allowing them access. Moving through the transparent wall, the demon immediately noticed several creatures, similar in appearance to Kephren standing in the middle of a large room. They stood beside each other, slightly angled so that they formed a circle with their backs facing inward. They were all black, so he assumed they were male. The clothing was considerably different, not a warriors clothing. The garments were made of a pale, fitted substance, that draped gracefully over their slender forms, enhancing the beauty that was common to the race. As he watched, glowing blue symbols and patterns hovered in the air surrounding them. One of the creatures extended a hand into the pattern, altering its structure. The creature to its right, then pulled the pattern over to it and proceeded to included some detailed markings within the pattern. When he thought of engineering, this was not what he had imagined.

A word from Kephren drew their attention. The glowing patterns abruptly vanished, leaving the room empty save for the vine-like carvings that crawled along the walls, blue sparks flickering as they ran along their sinuous length. The members of the circle moved toward them, stopping in the same semi-circle formation the children had assumed. They waited silently, unnatural pupiless eyes coldly evaluating the intruders. Kephren said some to them in their strange language, that sounded like turbulent air and rushing wind. The one standing in the center, extended its arm and gestured, indicating the center of the floor where the circle members had stood. Walking to where the group had stood, Kephren called up a different set of patterns, far more detailed and elaborate than the one they had been working on. This one stretched from the floor to the ceiling, spiraling out from him, filling the room with a sparkling intricate design. He took several minutes to carefully study the design, occasionally pulling a section toward him to enlarge it. Evidently satisfied with what he had found, he dismissed the pattern and returned to them. One of the members of the circle, gave Kephren an appraising look and said something that caused him to whirl around, a gleaming black blade in his hand. The circle member backpedaled rapidly, trying to avoid the blade that came whizzing toward him. He was fast, but not fast enough to avoid the strike as Kephren's blade elongated, cleanly slicing him from the base of the neck, through the chest cavity and out the opposite waist. The other circle members backed away as their colleague slid apart into two, even sections. Kephren walked up to the torso, that lay, still moving on the floor. Looking down at the dying circle member, he snarled something that made the others fall to knees. Bowing their heads to the ground, arms stretched out parallel to their bodies, they pressed their foreheads to the smooth, cool stone in subjugation.

Turning away, Kephren motioned for Thryss and Sesshomaru to follow him as he departed. Once outside the wall, he led them down a curving corridor, putting some distance between them and the others, before speaking.

"They are hiding something." He stated.

"What did you find?" Thryss asked.

"This was merely a diversion, what they were working on is not the kind of engineering we are looking for" he paused, thinking for moment before continuing, "When I pulled up the design for this building, there was something that didn't fit. I think if we get to the lowest level we may find some answers."

"Do you know how to get there?" She inquired.

Kephren nodded, as he proceeded to lead them back down the hall. The demon noticed that the vine carvings were getting larger as they approached the lower levels, and by the time they reached the lowest level, they vines were so thick, that they extended into the hall way, making the space between the walls quite narrow in spots. The blue lights that glittered within the stone vine, brightened and increased in intensity. The vines ended in a twisting mass that resembled the trunk of an ancient tree, so tightly were the vines woven together.

Kephren circled the thick snarl of stone vines, running his hand along them until he found what he was looking for. Motioning them over, he placed his hand, fingers spread, against one glowing vein. The stone pulsed, like blood pumping through veins. The vines slithered around Kephrens hand, across his fingers, finally parting to reveal an opening to a sub-level. An acrid stench assaulted the demon's sensitive nose as Thryss peered into the opening. Sesshomaru decided he was happy right where he was as he had a bad feeling they would soon be scrambling down the inside of the rancid smelling stone vine.

The demon was not particularly please to be right all the time. Sure enough, he found himself clambering down a mass of pulsating vines, into what looked like the pits of hell. His sinuses burned, causing his eyes to water as the acrid odor intensified.

Thryss proceeded to agilely climbed down after him. Looking up he asked, "Why have we not been stopped or questioned?" it seemed odd that no one had tried to stop them.

"Kephren's other self is involved in this. When he spoke to the engineers, they thought he was his other self. No one questions one of the imperial guard and lives." She answered, searching for a secure foothold among the twisting vine.

"Won't the one he killed raise suspicion?" It wasn't possible that no one would notice. Sesshomaru slowed down to avoid slipping on a damp section of the vine. Shaking his sleeve out of the way, the increasingly damp air was making it stick to him, he felt around the vine for a more secure hand hold.

"It would have raised suspicion if he hadn't killed him. The imbecile questioned him." She explained as she continued to follow him down the vine.

Things here were so backward. The demon was still thinking about these odd people when they reached the lower level. The walls on this level were dull and rough. Dark sludge oozed from the thick stone vines crawled sluggishly along the wall, collecting on the floor in rancid pools. Periodically a section of the vine would bulge and swell grotesquely, resulting in a large bulbous protrusion. Kephren stopped in front of one of lumpy bulges and set a hand on each end. The bulge glowed a sickly blue-green color and then thinned, exposing its contents.

Thryss backed up in surprise, bumping into Sesshomaru. Following her eyes, he pulled back in revolution. A deformed, small child floated in a gelatinous solution, its face pressing against the front of the bulge. The skin was a mottled grey-black, with arms and legs too long for its small torso. Not quite sure what is was, the demon leaned forward, pressing against Thryss' back, to get a closer look.

"What is it?" He asked.

"It looks like an experiment. Talisian children go through gestation this way. The fluid-filled nodule acts as a womb until the child is ready to emerge. When the child is old enough, the fluid turns acidic, motivating the child to break free." Thryss paused, frowning at the monstrous child.

"This is a Talisian child?" Sesshomaru peered at the thing, trying to the see if there was any resemblance to the children he had seen earlier.

The nauseating acidic odor almost made him gag as he leaned forward to get a closer look.

"This thing is not one of us, although it is some kind of experimental hybrid. If it had no Talisian blood what so ever, it would die instantly in this fluid." Kephren answered, studying the deformed monstrosity in distaste.

"What happens if the child does not break free?" Sesshomaru asked.

"The fluid will gradually dissolve it, and the harvested energy will be used to fuel the building." She answered indifferently.

Placing his hands on her shoulders, he fought to ignore the foul smell as he leaned closer, bring his face close to the translucent bulge. A silent scream went off in his mind. The tiny thing's eyes snapped open, looking like they would explode from its shrunken head. The mouth opened, screaming, but making no sound. It thrashed violently against the walls of the vine, its skin bubbled as the acid ate it away. A miniature fist slammed repeatedly into the wall. The small body spasmed and convulsed, eyes wide in agony.

The demon whipped out his hand, preparing to loose his whip and put the pitiful thing out of its misery. Thyrss grabbed his wrist. "No! You must not!"

"It is being dissolved while it is still alive." The demon lord didn't question his desire to kill the thing. Had he bothered to examine his reasoning, he might have found something suspiciously close to mercy.

"This is one of many. If you break the seal, it will send out an alert. If that happens, we will not be able to get to Rin." She told him, holding his arm tightly.

Sesshomaru stared at the pitiful creature. He had dealt death many times, but this was something different. There was no reason for this cruelty, it served no purpose. He tore his attention away from the suffering and looked down at Thryss. Eyes cold and indifferent stared back at him. There was no compassion, or regret, or enjoyment. There was no humanity her gaze. Sesshomaru pulled back, what has she gone through to strip her of her humanity. He saw no sign of Rin in the empty eyes that stared back at him. Not wanting to address the disturbing feeling those eyes were causing, he turned his attention to the vine, and the protrusions that stretched for as far as the eye could see.

Authors note: Thanks for your reviews, I appreciate your input. There was a lot more sci-fi than there has been previously. I think my inner nerd got the best of me. Now the question is; should I tell my inner nerd to shut up, or let it loose. Did you like this chapter? Let me know. Thanks.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Rin

Sesshomaru's eye considered the long line of protrusions bulging from the vine that crawled lazily along the wall for as far as he could see. He silently contemplated the fate of what were probably thousands of innocents.

A sudden thought occurred to the demon. Turning to Kephren, "You came from one of these pods?"

"Not from here; but certainly the pods are the most efficient way to achieve optimal breeding." Kephren answered.

"I should have expected as much." The demon smirked, his mood lightening as he entertained the image of the creature emerging from a pod.

Kephren quirked an eyebrow at the demon's expression. "It is hard for those who don't have our advantages to deal with the overwhelming realization of our superiority." Kephren sighed. He flipped his silver-blue hair over his shoulder as he waited for the demon's response.

"You think you are superior to me?" An almost comical expression of disbelief flitted across Sesshomaru's face.

"You have to ask? Of course I am." Kephren informed him happily.

"And how did you come to this ludicrous conclusion?" He had to know.

"Because I am Talisian." Kephren said, stating the obvious.

Sesshomaru arched an eyebrow, "A pod-person thinks he is superior to me." he mocked.

Kephren cocked his head thoughtfully at the demon and grinned, "You are jealous."

"Of you? Impossible." He snorted. Running a clawed hand through his long shining strands, he allowed them to slide through his fingers before falling back into place.

Kephren moved down the hall, following the rows of pods, "Your jealousy is to expected, it is only natural to envy perfection."

Thryss brought up the rear, shaking her head at the predictable conversation.

Following glittering black vines as they wound along the wall, Kephren stopped by one of the glowing symbols. He studied it thoughtfully, making no move to pass under it.

"What is it?" Thryss asked moving next to him.

"These experiments are not condoned." he stated, indicating the symbol. "This symbol indicates strength engineering, but these young are not Talisian. They are tainting the race." He looked at one of the distended pods. Deciding to investigate, Kephren raising a dark hand and placed it under the symbol, "Wait here. If my other self is involved, I maybe be able to get some answers if I go alone." he said.

Thryss and Sesshomaru waited, listening for sounds of battle after Kephren passed through the symbol. When none were forthcoming, Sesshomaru inquired, "What is he hoping to find?"

"On our world, great pains are taken to keep the race pure. I am the sole exception. Things are different here. If they are using genetic material from other races, it suggests that they are trying to alter the race; but as you can see from these pods, it has not been successful. The child back there, was far too young for the fluid to have turned acidic. There was no possible way for it to survive. Keff wants to find out what they are trying to accomplish, and what Rin has to with this experimental engineering." she surmised.

Sesshomaru moved close, his pale hair sliding forward as he leaned over her to stare at one of the pods, "This is how they reproduce?"

"Yes." She said, turning her head slightly trying to see his expression..

"You were not surprised at the child's death." He remarked, her indifference bothering him.

"Surprised? Why would I be surprised?" She asked curiously, turning her head further. The glowing blue light that illuminated the area, had turned his magenta markings a dark maroon. His eyes remained on the pod as he pondered her answer.

"You reaction was not how a human normally responds to seeing a child tortured." He said, transferring his attention back to her, focusing on her reaction.

Thryss cocked her head, not understanding. "Why do you say the child was tortured?" she asked.

"You see nothing wrong with the pain and terror that child suffered as it died?" He was liking this less, and less. She stared up at him out of dark eyes that were cold and emotionless.

"It is the way of things. If the child is not strong enough to break free, it is consumed and converted to energy." she said, explaining how the system worked; but from the look in his eyes, the answer did not please him.

Sesshomaru felt a cold chill pass through him at her words. What had they done to so thoroughly strip away her humanity? Disturbed by her lack of emotion and comprehension, he felt a sudden need to hold her. To speak to the Rin that still resided somewhere under the emotionless exterior in a way that communicated what words had failed to convey. Finding no reason to not to do as he wished, he pulled her to him.

Her unquestioning acceptance of what was unnecessary cruelty, so unlike the child he traveled with, disturbed him more than he was comfortable admitting to himself. He resolved once they were off this nightmare world, he would see to it, that she had a chance to see what it was like to live without being constantly surrounded by death and despair. It was ironic that he, a demon, knew more about humans than she did. He would show her something other than this nightmarish existence that she accepted so calmly.

He sighed softly, his breath stirring her hair as he held her. Thryss didn't understand his motive, but stayed still for a moment, as he encircled her with his arms, taking care not to crush her. Held like this, she was surprised at how big he was. He dwarfed her. Bringing her hand up behind him, she ran her fingers through the long hair that had fallen over his shoulder. She hadn't noticed how long it was. Now that she looked, she realized it almost touched the ground! How did he keep from tripping over it?

"You're touching me again." Came the disgruntled grumble.

"I am touching you?" She queried, letting the pale hair slide through her fingers, "I believe, it was you that took hold of me."

"As I told you before, just because you are not worthy, has nothing to do with me." Sesshomaru said with ridiculous illogic.

A faint aura caught the demon's attention. Looking around, he tried to pin-point the source.

"What is it?" She asked as his eyes swept along the wall.

"I sense a demonic aura." he said frowning. Letting her go, he moved along the vine slowly, paying close attention to the pods. Stopping in front of the one giving off the aura, he placed a hand on it, like he had seen Kephren do. Nothing happened. He pulled back the hand, scowling at the pod in irritation.

She came up beside him, curious as to what had caught his attention. He was scowling threateningly at one of the pods. She wondered what was offending the arrogant demon. Moving beside him, she placed her hands on the pod, with one on each end. The stone-like surface thinned, becoming transparent, revealing what was inside.

Sesshomaru noticed that the child within the pod was a little older than the previous one as it floated in the gelatinous fluid. It looked as though it was already dead. The skin was mostly dissolved, leaving the muscle and bone exposed. Its flesh had turned a greenish-black color in the few spots where it still clung to the body. Despite the decomposition, he could easily sense the demonic blood. It wasn't powerful like his, but it was there.

What was a demon doing here? Sesshomaru's golden eyes narrowed, not liking what he suspected.

At his continued silence, Thryss turned to look at him, inquiringly. Meeting her gaze, he said "This child has demon blood." His face remained impassive at the disturbing discovery.

"Like you?" She asked.

"Not like me; this is a minor demon. It has nothing of my strength."

Thryss studied the remains of the child thoughtfully. This meant they had been to Earth more than once, "Do you sense any others?" she asked.

Sesshomaru turned his attention away from the child. Reaching out with his senses he searched the vast number of pods lining the walls, looking for others who carried a demonic aura. He found many.

The demon's golden eyes widened in shock, and his pale brows drew together in a frown. "They all have demon blood in them, to varying degrees." He said.

"All of them, even the child that Kephren exposed?" She asked in a subdued voice.

Focusing on the other end of the hall, he nodded, "Yes."

Thryss fell silent, wondering what this meant. Her thoughts were interrupted by Kephren as he joined them.

"What is it?" he asked, seeing the odd expression on Thryss face.

"These young, They all have demonic blood in them." She reached out, laying her hand on the nearest pod.

Kephren blinked in surprise, "All of them?" he asked in disbelief. Thryss nodded silently in response.

Puzzled, Kephen placed his hand on anther one of the pods, exposing to the contents for his inspection. The child, like the previous ones, was deformed, but much younger than the others, little more than an infant. The fluid had not turned acidic yet, so this one was unharmed.

It moved, reaching out with a tiny hand. Kephren touched the pod close to where the child was extending its hand. Touching the skin of the pod, he watched in fascination as the child stretched out it small hand and rested it against his palm. They watched intently as the child opened its eyes and stared at Kephren raptly.

The Talisian started violently and jerked his hand away, staring at the child. "It asked for help." He whispered, never taking his eyes off the small figure.

The child turned its small deformed face to Thryss, staring at her with the same unwavering gaze, as if it wanted something. Moving to the pod, Thryss met the child's eyes, and placed a hand against the cold stone.

'_I know you._' It whispered into her mind. _'But you are not the same as the other' _

_'What other?' _

_'She is like you, but different. She is still an innocent.'_ The quiet and unnatural voice echoed in her mind.

_'What do you know of the other?' _Thryss asked, strengthening the mental link.

_'She is special, not like us. They value her. Want to use her.'_ The quiet voice slid eerily through her thoughts.

_'What do they want with her?_' Thryss questioned.

It looked directly into her eyes, _'Power. Great power. They will destroy her to get it. Help her.'_

_'Where is she?' _A picture of a room appeared in her head, _'We will find her._' she assured the child.

_'Hurry_'. The voice went silent, and the child closed it eyes, curling into a fetal position.

Thryss came out of the mind link, to find both Kephren and Sesshomaru staring at her. "I know where she is." she told them. Not waiting for an answer, she started down the hall in the direction of the room the child had shown her.

Stopping in front of a large pod that bulged from the wall, "This nodule marks the entrance." she said studying the dark stone protrusion that was oozing a foul-smelling liquid.

"There is nothing here." Kephren said, looking over her shoulder.

"It showed me a room. Its here, behind this section of the support system." Thryss ran a hand along the pod, feeling for the hidden symbol that would allow them entrance. "We will have to break the seal to get to her." she determined as the previously hidden symbol began to glow brightly.

"That will alert the guard." Kephren studied the wall, tapping his lips with a thin finger. "There won't be much time. Once we find the child, take her and the demon to the far end of this floor. There is a gate you will be able to gain access to there. I will distract the guard long enough to give you time to reach the gate. Go to the ancient catacombs that lie at the base of the mountains and I will join you as

soon as possible."

Thryss nodded, then breached the seal. The pod disappeared and the wall thinned, allowing them access to the room the infant has shown her.

The three of them stopped abruptly, staring at the far wall.

Suspended by the stone vines was Rin. The black vines slithered over her skin, covering her entire body in a dark mass of twisting tendrils. The glittering vines snaked along her body, burrowing into her skin, turning it a sickly pale color where it entered her tender flesh. As they watched, the network of vines continued to spread under her skin, upraised like what they had seen along the walls, as it attached to her nervous system. She hung limply in the cold grasp of the vines, giving no indication that she was aware of their presence. She hung from the wall, small and pale and motionless.

Authors Note: Arghh...The inner nerd is loose! I am going to allow the nerd one more chapter, maybe two, then I will smack it back into submission. Was I able to make you bite your nails? I wanted to leave this one with a good cliff-hanger, did I succeed? Thanks for your reviews, I appreciate your feed back.


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha

Chapter 18: Escape

Sesshomaru stood frozen in place, icy fingers of dread running down his spine. He stared in horror at the small child, held captive in the cold embrace of the alien vines. She had trusted him with her life, secure in the knowledge that he would be there. He had failed her. He lived again the memories he had seen in Thryss' mind, the circumstances that had turned that young Rin into what was now Thryss. For the first time in his life, The Demon Lord of the Western Lands knew fear.

Rin hung limply, suspended by the glittering black vines. Her closed eyes were darkly shadowed, and her face was deathly pale. The once cheery kimono, now a tattered, bloody rag as it hung loosely from her small frame.

Pulling himself out of the horrified trance, Sesshomaru moved closer, lifting a clawed hand as he prepared to loose his whip and cut her free from that which bound her to the wall.

"If you remove her forcibly, she will die." A unexpected, but decidedly familiar voice drew his attention away from the child. A dark shadow separated from the wall. Stepping into the blue light, Kephren's other self casually approached them.

The other walked around the demon, curiously inspecting this new oddity. "Now this is a surprise." glancing over at Kephren he jibed, "How thoughtful of you to bring him along for me. This one is quite powerful. The result of his genetic material combined with ours should be most interesting."

"What do you want with the child?" Thryss asked, drawing the other's attention.

Losing all interest in the demon at the sight of the half-blood, the other crossed the floor to study Thryss in fascination. "She is yours?" He murmured, addressing Kephren, "I think I will take her from you." Stopping in front of her, he raised a slender hand and trailed his fingers along her cheek. "How fascinating; I have never seen anyone recover from my armor's poison."

Thryss regarded him expressionlessly as she called up her weapons. The other had the same mocking attitude, the same grin, the same mannerisms as Kephren. It was very disconcerting to be facing off against her long time companion's alternate self. She needed to keep her guard up; it would be far too easy to forget that this was not the Kephren she knew.

The other's eyes lit up, "You challenge me? You do realize that when I defeat you, I will claim you." he said with a wide smile, anticipating the outcome.

"I am claimed by no one." Thryss informed him as she initiated the challenge, striking the first blow. If he thought she was easy target, he was mistaken. She was no one's property: not Kephren's, not Sesshomaru's, and certainly not this alternate version's. There wasn't much that she felt strongly about anymore. Her freedom being the one exception; and she valued it above all else. It was common on Talis to claim someone weaker than you as property when an informal challenge was issued, and because of her uniqueness, she had been challenged often by those who wished to possess her. She had seen the demoralizing effect it had on those who had been claimed like property. She would never be the property of anyone, even if it meant her death.

The other grinned as he deflected her blows, "I can see why my other self favors you." he said, taking on the offensive, "I can feel the power lurking under that delicate skin, but you can't beat me. Why don't you submit? I can be a most pleasant companion." He murmured suggestively, coming in close.

Thryss cursed silently, she didn't want to take the risk of using any psionic energy. They had been fortunate so far. Kephren had been correct in his assessment that the experiments were not condoned, and that his other self was involved. It explained why the guard had not been alerted, but the reprieve would be short lived if she fought back full force. The amount of energy that would throw off would have the guard here in seconds. The problem was, the other was physically stronger than her, and without using any psionic energy, it was only a matter of time before he bested her.

A glowing green whip, slashed through the pale blue light that illuminated the room. Deflecting the blow, the other turned in shock to look at the demon. "Do your pets always fight for you?" He inquired, watching Sesshomaru with renewed interest. "Perhaps I should get one, I rather like the fluffy thing he wears."

Sesshomaru's golden eyes narrowed at the insulting tone. In a movement too quick to follow, the demon raked the black claws across the other's torso. The Talisian metal of the claws sliced through the other's armor, like a hot knife through butter.

Back-pedaling away from the armored claws, the other grimaced at blood seeping from the four slashes that ran across his chest. "It seems that you have something that belongs to me." he said, staring at the demon's black claws.

Kephren watched in displeasure as his alternate self toyed with Thryss. He knew she wouldn't want to use any psionic energy for fear of alerting the guard. When his other self made the mistake of trying to claim her, the Talisian's silvery-blue eyes narrowed wrathfully. Nobody took what belonged to him. Without further thought, Kephren slid behind his alternate self, driving elongated spikes through his back. The other gasped as the razor sharp armor burst from the front of his chest. Jerking his hand out of the other's back, Kephren prepared to finish him off.

The other just barely managed to evade the killing blow, as he put some distance between them. "Why do you defy Talisian law?" he asked.

Talisian law was absolute in all things, and the penalty for breaking Talisian law was death. If the experiments were not condoned, he broke no law by interfering; but if they were condoned, he could end up paying with his life for defying the law.

"These experiments are not condoned, so I have not broken the law." Kephren informed him calmly. At least that's what he was trying to convince himself into believing. If he was wrong -- Kephren inwardly shuddered -- he didn't want to consider what would happen if he was wrong.

An expression of shock suddenly appeared on the other's face, rapidly followed by one of agony. He staggered, and seemed to lose control of the armor. The black metal ran across skin randomly, seeking the one whose control it recognized and acknowledged. What it sought was nearby. Upon locating the one it recognized as rightful owner, the alloy abruptly turned on the host it had been inhabiting.

Kephren stepped back in disbelief as the alloy turned on his other self. He watched as the armor tore through the other's body, unconcerned with the damage it caused as it exited its host's flesh. The other's face twisted in bewilderment and pain, as he watched his armor abandoned him, leaving him for dead.

Kephren's jaw dropped open, as the sentient alloy slid across the floor, but not to him! If he hadn't witnessed it, he wouldn't have believed it possible. He had the same genetic makeup of his other self, so it stood to reason, it should have come to him when it sensed the bond. He was older, so his bond would be stronger, calling to the sentient alloy. Instead, it slid across the floor to join with the demon of its own accord.

The armor was notoriously picky about the appearance of its host and it immediately addressed the situation it found itself in. As it bonded with its rightful owner, the black metal replaced the blue crescent moon, the stripes on his face, and markings of wrists and hands until all matched the black stripes and nails. Not liking the white robes, the armor slid underneath the cloth, shredding it gleefully, then replacing it with shining black metal, as soft and supple as the silk had been. Acknowledging it host's displeasure at the change, the alloy assumed the same shape as his prior clothing, only instead of white, it was now black. The only thing the armor left untouched was the fluffy white thing over its host's shoulder. The alloy was Talisian after all, and it drew the line at fluffiness.

It took about sixty seconds for everyone to come to their senses. Thyrss raced over to Sesshomaru, assuring herself that he was unharmed, and Kephren decided it might be a good idea to close his mouth.

Sesshomaru turned his attention to Rin, "It said that if we try to break her free, she will die." he commented, pointedly ignoring the new wardrobe that settled itself about his person.

"The cable has attached to her mind and nervous system. She must free herself." Kephren replied. Walking over to Rin, he placed slender black hands on either side of her face, staring at her intently.

"What is he doing?" The demon asked.

"Waking her up." Thryss replied vaguely. When the child regained consciousness, the cables would still be embedded. The mental and physical torment Rin would be in would threaten her sanity. Rin's life depended on whether she had the strength to resist the madness long enough to free herself. Any attempt to remove the collection unit would only result in Rin's death. Not knowing whether Sesshomaru would trust her concerning Rin's situation, Thyrss told none of this to Sesshomaru. There was nothing any of them could do to help Rin, but much that could harm her.

It seemed like hours as Kephren stood by the child, trying to touch her mind.

Rin's head snapped up and she opened her eyes. Her dilated pupils bled liquid silver that ran across her cornea and encircled her iris. Nothing of the child, Rin, showed in the sightlessly staring eyes.

Kephren drew back, unsure of what to do.

Abruptly, a tormented scream ripped from Rin's throat. The sound of the raw, uncontrolled agony ricocheted off the cold stone walls. The sound pierced through those who heard it, beginning a violent vibration in the room at the intensity of the sound.

Rin writhed and strained against the relentless tendrils that burrowed under her skin. She made a ragged, raspy sound, as the merciless intruder tore through the muscle and borrowed into her bones. The vines only purpose was to collect and transport genetic material. Whether the subject was conscious or not had no effect on its focus on completing its task. Oblivious to the suffering it was causing, the collectors cut and dispersed the collected materials with cruel efficiency.

As the vine wormed into her brain, Rin let out a cry of anguish, profound and indescribably tortured.

The horrific sound began to shake the stones as psionic energy flared out of control. Rin's Talisian blood had awakened! She sucked energy from the walls and vines, like a sponge absorbs water. Drained of the sustaining energy, the black stone paled, vines began to shrivel and crack.

Still, Rin screamed. Power raced along the surface of her skin as the blue glittering lights that had charged the vines, now empowered the child. The sound waves of her cry, poured out as waves of power, crashing into the building with tremendous force. The paling walls began to crumbled under the cacophonous waves of sound. The vines withered and blackened, withdrawing from her body. Cavernous cracks appeared in the walls, spidering out through the floor and ceiling. The shriveled, desiccated vines fell to the floor, a dried up husk. The building itself seemed to tremble at the power of the child's scream.

Sesshomaru darted across the room, catching the child as the last of the vines fell away. At his touch,

the bone-shattering sound stopped as abruptly as it started. Three pairs of eyes met, each equally shaken. The disturbed demon lord cradled Rin as if she might shatter at a touch.

"Hurry," Kephren said curtly, "you must get to the gate." He looked at Thryss as he backed away. "The guard will be on the alert. I can only distract them for a short time. Now go, there is no time to waste. I will meet up with you."

"I can move faster than you." Sesshomaru said to Thryss as he abruptly wrapped his free arm around her. "The gate is at the end of the hall, to the right." Thryss managed to get out as they sped along the silent corridor. She was amazed at the speed the demon was capable of; she had trouble drawing a breath against the force of the wind.

Kephren watched as they sped from the room, then turned to greet the numerous shadows emerging from the darkness.

The demon lord's long pale hair whipped out behind him as they raced against time. If they were discovered, they would not get a second chance. Sesshomaru swallowed his anxiety over Rin. Her limp body slumped lifelessly against him as he ran. Her warm blood ran over his arm as it flowed freely from her many wounds. He had never heard such suffering as he had heard in her scream. He felt sick. He hadn't been able to do anything, other than watch. None of them had. In the end, it had been Rin who had freed herself.

He saw the gate come into view as he rounded the corner, "In there." Thryss yelled, pointing toward the gate.

Upon entering the room, Thryss jumped away from him and placed her hand above the pedestal to activate the gate. As the blue beam of light bent toward them forming a cone, Sesshomaru stepped in without the slightest hesitation.

They emerged from the gate, at the foot of a towering, majestic mountain. It appeared similar to the ones that existed on earth, except that its peak disappeared into low laying blue clouds. The familiarity of the mountainous shape, however, was oddly comforting.

Thryss led toward the mountain. Veering off to one side, she followed a winding path that appeared to wonder aimlessly. Sesshomaru began to spot differences between this mountain and those he was familiar with. The ground was covered in a dark maroon, powdery sand. The amount of give under his feet said that it was fairly deep. As soon as the ground began to rise, he discovered how slick it was. The substance slid and shifted at each step, making it difficult to keep his balance. Scooping up a handful, he found that it consisted of tiny beads. As they struggled through the ultra-fine dust , it sparkled like gemstones under the blue sun, making the mountain shine and glitter. The vegetation that clung to the smooth surface was bush-like with delicate pale blue flowers hanging from gracefully drooping branches. Beautiful to behold, it made for treacherous travel.

Leading them into a cluster of boulders, Thryss stopped in the shelter of a leafy area between a few of the larger boulders. Passing a hand along the surface of one boulder, she found the ancient symbol that would lead them into the citadel. Placing her hand under it, the symbol began to glow a soft green. The leaves and rocks vanished, revealing the entrance.

The citadel was so ancient that there was nothing known of the mysterious race that had carved it into the mountain. The subterranean tunnels were virtually unknown. Constructed by a race, long dead, they had remained undiscovered, until Thryss had found them as a child. To her knowledge, no one, save for her and Kephren knew of their existence.

"We must go further into the mountain." Thryss said, moving toward the heart of the citadel.

Sesshomaru followed Thryss silently, staring in wonder at the magnificently carved caverns. In spite of his concern for Rin, he couldn't ignore the beauty of what must a have an been incredible culture.

The pale walls of the tunnel were smooth and glossy. Intricate carving had been worked into the smooth surface of the walls of the passage ways in graceful curving designs. The strange symbols that had been added into the design glowed a pale green, highlighting the exquisite craftsmanship. The light in the tunnel was a pale green instead of blue. He was rather chagrined to realize how he'd begun to be accustomed to the blue light as the change to green left him feeling slightly disoriented, although the pale corridors, softly lit by the green glow, were remarkably peaceful.

The tunnels were empty, although it may have been intentional. Furnishings would have detracted from the restful beauty of the passages.

Thryss led them through a confusing maze of corridors before stopping at a large opening at the end of the tunnels they had been following. Holding out her arms to take the child, she said "I need to remove the memories and heal her wounds. I must be alone to do this."

"You can heal her?" he asked, handing her over without argument; there was nothing he could do for her.

"Yes, remain here. I will return once she is well. Do not leave this chamber, Kephren will look for us here." Thryss told him, turning to depart.

Authors Note: Whew, this was a tough chapter. Hope you liked it, my poor nerd was working overtime on this one. Don't worry, romance is on the way, or at least what passes as romance for me, but I had to get poor Rin out of the vines first.


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha

Chapter 19: Self-Sacrifice

Sesshomaru watched as she left with the child, then turned to consider the fascinating carvings that covered the walls. This space had a ledge of sorts carved out of the mountain that looked like a bench circling the outer edge of the room. Like the walls, the bench had the same cursive design worked into its smooth surface. The demon seated himself on the ledge while he contemplated this odd world.

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Thyrss moved swiftly through the winding passages until she came to small room that had once been a bathing chamber. The pool used for bathing was self sustaining, and still functional. Crossing to the water, she lowered the child into the steaming pool and let her float on the surface of the water, as she washed off the blood to get a better look at the damage. Gently she lifted her out of the pool and set her down carefully on a floor inlaid with intricate mosaics. Thryss considered the most effective way to heal her. She needed not only to heal the wounds, but she also wanted to remove the memories of the pain that had been intrinsic to being held captive. She had enough control to repair the child at a molecular level, but that was time consuming and would not heal her mind. Thryss flinched at the thought of the other option. She could absorb the damage into herself, then let her armor heal her. That would be fairly quick, but it would also be extremely painful. Worse would be the traumatic memories she would have to absorb if she was to help the child's mind heal even partially. Thryss sighed in resignation as she excepted the idea that she was going to be left in a very vulnerable position for an extended period of time.

Looking down at the bloody, broken body of her younger self, she knew what she must do if she wanted to save the child's life. Taking a deep breath, she placed her hands on the child, one on her head, the other on the curve of her ribs.

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"Lord Sesshomaru!" The startled demon lord spun around to see Rin barreling toward him.

"Rin! You appear to be recovered." The quiet statement belied his roiling emotions as his eyes swept over the blood-stained kimono covering the child. Despite the appearance of her ragged clothing, she seemed essentially the same child he had last seen on earth. His eyes traveled slowed over her small frame, reassuring himself that she was indeed whole of body as well as healed of mind. His eyes widened when they reached hers. Liquid silver was etched across her soft brown eyes. Talis had left its mark.

"I am fine my lord; it is Thryss! Something is wrong! I don't know what to do!" Rin cried, her face crumpling in distress.

"Show me." He commanded, putting aside his reaction to her unnerving silver-stained eyes.

Rin took off down one of the tunnels, leading the way.

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Making sure he was unobserved, Kephren entered the rear of the citadel. It had been a simple matter to lead the guard to an isolated area, and eliminate them. They had been no challenge. The Talisian moved with swift grace through the maze of passages. Heading toward the heart of the citadel, he stopped to listen as he heard a sound coming from a tunnel off to the side. Moving cautiously, he entered the bathing area. His mouth tightened grimly when saw Thryss slumped against the wall, torn with lacerations and bleeding profusely.

He stood appalled at what she had done. "How much will you suffer for these beings who care nothing for you." he rasped, not bothering to hide his anguish. "Why do you care so much? You, who are the most unique being I have ever known." Kephren's beautiful face twisted in pain as he watched her. He had seen her suffer so much in her life time. It pained him to think of what she had experienced as she fought to secure her place in their society. Thryss was unique, but not because of her mixed blood: it was something more intangible than that. She had an indomitable spirit that refused to give up, regardless of the circumstances. It was something she had brought with her, a small flame of unwavering determination that even Talis had not been able to extinguish. He had never seen it among his people, yet he knew it was precious, and he would continue to do everything in his power to ensure it remained alive.

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Sesshomaru followed Rin through winding tunnels until they approached a small room, where he saw Thryss slumped against one of the walls.

A movement on the far side of the room drew his eye for a brief instant. Kephren stood watching from the shadows, yet made no attempt to approach her. Annoyed at the Talisian's seeming indifference, Sesshomaru demanded, "What's wrong with her?" as he moved toward her still form, avoiding the blood that had collected on the floor surrounding her. He crouched in front of her to get a better look at her injuries.

"Don't you know?" The disembodied voice mocked.

Sesshomaru growled softly, "Do not test me."

"How do you think she healed the child so rapidly?" Kephren spat, "The young one was broken, both physically and mentally."

Sesshomaru scowled at the cryptic reply, resisting the urge to choke a straight answer out of the irritating creature.

Kephren snarled in a voice that sounded like the roaring winds, "She was fool enough to free the child from insanity's grasp by taking her place."

Sesshomaru's brows drew together in confusion, "Taking her place?"

"Are you such a fool that you cannot see what she has done? She absorbed the child's damage into her own body."

Understanding dawned as the demon lord took in Thryss' condition.

"She will not welcome your interference demon." Kephren intoned, as he turned to walk away from them.

Rin watched Kephren leave before focusing her attention on Thryss. "Is she hurt because of me?"

The demon's eyes slid sideways to glance at the child. Her bottom lip was starting to tremble dangerously. A sure sign tears were in the near future. This would not help the severely injured young woman collapsed against the wall. "Rin." he said, drawing her attention away from Thryss' battered and bleeding form. "I want you to go with that irritating creature, and remain with him until I come for you." At Rin's worried expression he said, "Do not fear for Thryss, I will see to her."

Rin hesitated, not wanting to abandon the person who had put her life on the line for her, but she trusted her lord. She met his golden eyes, so different from her own, "Yes my lord." she said respectfully. She had never questioned him, and she trusted him now. Without another word she took off after the Talisian, leaving the demon lord alone with Thryss.

Thryss fought fiercely against the thick fog of searing pain that was clouding her mind. A moan escaped her lips unbidden. Clenching her teeth against the crippling pain that knifed through her, Thryss spasmed and hissed. She could feel where the tendrils had burrowed into her flesh and bone. Fire ignited behind her eyes, where the collection units had tunneled through the soft mass of her brain, carrying back samples for further study. Collectors had cut away flesh from her bones and transported the neatly sectioned samples. Through the madness eating at her consciousness, information on the failing experiments drifted through her thoughts. She knew they wanted her genetic material to compare with the ones who hadn't survived past the gestation period. What did that have to do with her? No, not her; Rin. Thryss struggled to break free of the mental link. This was not happening, it is a memory, it is past. She would overcome this. She had too.

She awoke screaming. Her throat burned like fire. Agony flashed behind her eyes, making her back arch away from the wall violently.

She became aware of hands pressing her down, holding her against the floor. She fought against the restriction, but began to feel a little lessening of the awful pain.

Sesshomaru pressed her down, and flinched away for a moment. Pain had stabbed through him when he touched her. Unable to watch her do more damage to herself, he again took hold of her to still her thrashing. Again pain stabbed through him, but he did not turn loose of her. He felt as if the pain was tunneling into his forearms, separating flesh from bone.

Shaken at feeling her pain he didn't immediately notice that she was quieter. When he did notice he realized that the pain he was experiencing was lessening what she was combating. He stiffened in shock, disturbed to think he might be willing to accept someone else's pain. He took his hands away, and immediately the pain ceased.

"Interesting" He murmured as he placed his hand on her again to see if he could truly take some of her pain. As soon as their skin touched, pain lanced up his arm. Hissing slightly, he pulled back, scowling down at her balefully as he realized he could ease her suffering only at his own expense.

He had a choice—to help or to allow her to work through it alone as Kephren had done—neither option appealed to the arrogant demon lord, yet he found the idea of doing nothing left him dissatisfied and unsettled. What was happening to him? Why would he even consider putting himself out this way?

Even as he berated himself over this confounding lapse in judgment, he found himself replacing his hands and accepting some of her pain so that she quieted. When he did, he could feel her armor at work to mend the damage.

"Don't fight me." the demon muttered as he picked her up and settled her against him. The pain of touching her was easing as her armor made greater inroads on the damage. At his touch, her eyes flickered open.

"Sesshomaru?" She rasped painfully.

"Be still."

"What are you doing here?"

Not answering, he smoothed the tangled dark hair away from her face, "Why would you do such a thing?" he wanted to know.

Thryss frowned in confusion, "It was the most efficient way to heal the child."

"You experienced the pain she had gone through." his pale brows drew together in a frown.

"It was the only way."

"You knew this would happen?"

"Of course, that is why I needed to be alone." She answered matter-of-factly, as she shifted uncomfortably. It would be a while before the wounds fully healed. Thryss struggled to keep her eyes focused. She felt so dizzy and disoriented.

Sesshomaru studied the puzzling woman that leaned weakly against him. She had known what would happen, yet she had shown no hesitation when she had taken Rin from him. He could begin to understand what kind of strength it took to do something like that. He would never have imagined anyone going to such lengths for another.

"You could have died in her place." He realized.

"It was possible, but unlikely."

"And the fact that you might die did not concern you?" He inquired frowning.

"Do you think I am so weak that a little pain would break me?" She questioned him angrily.

Sesshomaru's eyebrows arched up toward his hairline, _a little pain?_, "You are by far the oddest person I have ever encountered."

Thryss scowled at him indignantly, as she resisted the urge to give in to the exhaustion.

"When is the last time you slept?" He inquired, noting that the shadows under her eyes left them looking bruised.

Thryss gave him a blank stare.

"Has it been so long, that you have forgotten?" He inquired solicitously, tilting his head to the side to study her curiously.

She looked away, not answering. Ah, the weakness issue again.

"Have you eaten anything besides that black sponge?" Now that he thought of it, he hadn't seen her eat or sleep almost at all. As far as he knew she had slept once, and the only thing she had put in her mouth had been the sponge, "You haven't, have you? I do not know about the creature, but you are human and must eat and sleep to function."

Thryss scowled at him, "I do not recall asking for instruction on how to care for myself."

"You do not seem capable of caring for yourself. Normally, one would express gratitude that someone of my station has made effort to instruct you." He said, with something that sounded suspiciously like amusement.

He watched as bleary eyes traveled slowly up to meet his. Her eyes looked confused and she seemed to be having trouble focusing.

"I don't understand you. When I am at your mercy, instead of taking advantage of my weakness, you take care not to harm me." She sighed, utterly confused. For once her dark eyes were not emotionless. Exhaustion, confusion, and something he couldn't put his finger on, swirled in their dark depths.

"Do you think I am so dishonorable?" He queried, partly offended and partly not wanting her to know just how helpful he had really been.

"Dishonorable? I do not know this word." She said tiredly.

"These people do not have honor?" Such a thing was incomprehensible to the demon.

Sesshomaru absently buried his hand in her hair. What kind of people did not know what honor was? Noticing that her wounds were no longer bleeding, he shifted his attention the the steaming pool, "Is the water clean?"

Thryss' eyes sluggishly followed his to the pool, "Yes, its amazing considering how old it is." Thryss started as he picked her up, "What are you doing?" She demanded.

"I am going to wash the blood off you."

Thryss' face took on a interesting expression, "You are NOT going to bathe me." she said emphatically.

Setting her against the side of the raised pool, the demon started to remove his outer clothing. At her outraged squawk. he turned to regard her curiously, "You bathe with Kephren." he said, his lips twitching at her indignant expression.

"You are not Keff. I do not bathe with just anyone." She informed him, wanting to make her feelings perfectly clear.

"Then there should be not problem, as I am most certainly, not just anyone."

Thryss' mouth opened and closed soundlessly as she searched for words to address such arrogance. How dare he take advantage of her. Of course, she could use her psionic energy, but that would bring the guard down on them. As he continued to remove his clothing, Thryss found her outrage drifting away as an extraordinarily attractive chest came into view.

Her eyes swept over the well muscled upper body as he removed the robe. All conscious thought immediately ceased at the delectable sight. Unlike Kephren who was slender and sleekly muscled, Sesshomaru's tightly corded muscles exuded strength. He wasn't slender like the Talisians. Actually he looked even larger without the robe. She pondered what it would be like to touch him.

Dragging her mind away from the dangerous path it was about to embark on, she turned her attention to his odd clothing. Wait a minute. The clothing had been replaced with armor, hadn't it? It was black, so it must be the armor, but he was removing it like regular clothing, and it was letting him?!

"You are removing your clothing?" She asked incredulously. She started to push herself up to get a better look. A wave of dizziness washed over her as she rose to her feet. Swaying unsteadily, she lost her balance as the room tilted crazily. Reaching out to grab hold of something, she came into contact with Sesshomaru's bare arm. Confused, she looked up at him wondering how he gotten to be in front of her.

"I wouldn't have thought that disrobing prior to bathing would elicit such amazement." He said dryly, swinging her into his arms and proceeding toward the pool. Thryss looked over his shoulder at the neatly folded pile of clothes covering part of the floor's mosaic, until the feel of his smooth firm flesh drew her attention. Transferring her gaze to the bare chest, she stared in drowsy fascination at the smooth skin. It was soft, but lacked the extreme slickness of Talisian skin. Kephren's skin was so smooth it was difficult to grab hold of him. Thryss looked at her own skin. The demon's was skin was soft and smooth like hers, but there were no pores. She frowned staring intently at the strange skin. Running her hand over upper part of chest just below the shoulder, she nodded to herself wisely, she had been correct, there were no pores. She decided she liked the feel of his skin as she continued to slide her hand along the muscular shoulder.

"Is my skin truly so fascinating?" He inquired sourly, watching her hand move along his collar bone.

He was looking down at her with a familiar annoyed expression. Thryss returned his irritated stare with a blank one. "Huh?"

"Why is my skin so interesting?" He repeated. He stopped by the edge of the pool admiring the elegant mosaic that had the same pattern as the carvings on the walls. The heavy steam rising from the water coated his hair in a shimmering mist as he waited for her reply.

"It is different." She answered.

Raising an eyebrow at the vague answer. He decided not to pursue it, and stepped cautiously into the water. A pleasant, yet unfamiliar fragrance drifted up as the water swirled around him. Once in the steaming pool, he could see a ledge built into the wall. Lowering them onto the ledge, the demon lord sighed in pleasure. He hadn't had time to relax in a bath for far too long. Once they were mostly submerged, Thryss' clothing absorbed into her skin, leaving only a minimal amount covered. Sesshomaru wondered if it was the armor's decision or hers to leave her body partially covered.

Thryss leaned sleepily against demon, resting her head against his shoulder. His ridiculously long silvery hair drifted across the surface of the water in a silken expanse. Reaching out, she caught some of the strands, letting them slide through her fingers. As he shifted underneath her trying to achieve a more comfortable position, Thryss' eyes widened in consternation as she realized he had removed _all _his clothing.

Authors Note: Did you liked this chapter? Was there anything in particular that you enjoyed? My imagination needs direction. You see, when it is left to its own devices, it tends to wander aimlessly all over the place. Then I have to deal with the inner nerd, who has these idea's that are just too far fetched, even for me, but never fear. I am strong, and I have told the inner nerd that the ideas are too weird. I won't do it! Now if only I my sister would stop encouraging the nerd! Yikes. Thanks for your reviews!


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha

Chapter 20: Recovery

"Your Naked!" Thryss shrieked accusingly.

"Hn."

"Why are you naked?" She demanded.

"Is it customary to bathe with your clothes on?" He asked curiously.

"Of course not, but that does not explain why you are naked _now." _She huffed, pushing ineffectively at his chest.

"Why are you disturbed?" He asked.

Why was she disturbed by his nakedness? Thryss huffed in annoyance. What kind of question was that? She started to move away, only to find that he did not seem inclined to release her.

Observing her disgruntled expression, he pulled her closer, positioning his mouth by her ear. By this time most human females would be either shaking in fear, or begging for his pleasure. Thryss did neither. Instead she glared daggers at him, which intrigued him for some reason. "Perhaps you were expecting something more?" He murmured suggestively.

Thryss gaped at him in disbelief. Sesshomaru restrained an undignified urge to laugh at her outraged expression. Seeing his self-satisfied expression, she began to struggle in earnest, not out of fear, but indignation. Tightening his hold on her, he used his free hand to tilt her head back as he leaned down to capture her lips with his own.

At the touch of his lips, Thryss put up a token resistance, but sensory overload effectively extinguished all desire to resist. Whispering across her lips in a soft caress, he languidly explored their delicate curves. Sliding his tongue along her jaw line, he traced the outer edge of her ear, lightly grazing the earlobe with his fangs. Pulling back, he noted her bemused expression in satisfaction.

"It appears you are not as indifferent as you seem to think you are." He said smugly.

That smug expression was the first thing that Thryss saw as she came back to reality. Scowling up at him,"You do not know me well enough to make such assumptions." she said haughtily.

"Perhaps not," He conceded, "But there was little doubt as to your response. Of course that is only to be expected. There are very few females who would reject my advances." he finished arrogantly.

Thryss stared at him in open-mouthed astonishment like a fish. She should be insulted, or indignant, but instead she found the incredibly egotistical answer funny. Fighting the urge to laugh, she clamped her lips shut. Unfortunately, this caused her laughter to come out as a snort.

Sesshomaru cocked a pale eyebrow at the undignified sound. Of all the reactions he had expected, a snort hadn't been one of them.

Thryss burst out laughing at his insulted expression. She hadn't laughed freely for a long time. It felt good.

Sesshomaru's throat tightened at the sound of her laughter. It was Rin's laugh. Seeing the child smile at him through her eyes was unnerving. Pulling her close, her buried his face in her hair. It was so easy to forget that she was Rin. She didn't act like Rin. These unexpected moments, when he could so clearly see the child in the adult, blind-sided him painfully.

Held tightly against his chest, Thryss wriggled about until she had freed one of her hands, then twisted around trying to see his face. Using her recently freed hand, she pushed the heavy curtain of hair back from his eyes. At her touch he lifted his head to meet her gaze.

Running a finger along the black metal covering the stripe on his cheek. "How did you remove the armor?" she asked frowning.

"Hn."

"Once the armor has joined to the host, the only way to remove it is through the death of the host. I have never seen anyone, not even Keff, remove any part of their armor." She explained, glancing at the innocent looking pile of black clothes that was covering part of the floors mosaic.

"That was why you were startled when I undressed." He surmised. "I am neither human or Talisian. Perhaps it has some thing to do with the race." He suggested.

"That is possible." She conceded.

Leaning forward he cupped a handful of water, and poured it over her shoulder. The movement making her excruciatingly aware of his lack of clothing.

"What are you doing?" She asked uneasily, trying to ignore the way his skin was sliding across her.

"Washing the blood off you."

"I can stand." She said trying to move away. When he didn't release her, she looked up at him questioningly.

"The injuries Rin sustained were severe. You need to time to recover." He informed her as he scooped up another handful of steaming water. Uncomfortably aware of amount of naked skin that was touching her, Thryss remained motionless, unsure of what to do. She swallowed uneasily as he ran a clawed hand along her shoulder. Leaning down to reach her back, his ridiculously long hair floated across the surface of the water in a silken expanse to slide along her legs in a soft caress. She was finding that she was far too aware of his smooth naked skin as he meticulously washed the blood from her hair, and then her body.

Sesshomaru was thoroughly enjoying himself. Actually, he was enjoying himself far more than this simple task warranted. He didn't question himself though, he had always done what he desired, and he desired to do this.

Once he was satisfied that all traces of the blood had been removed, he settled her against him, and threaded his claws thorough her hair.

"Rest, once you are healed we will join the others." He instructed her.

Thryss sighed softly and relaxed; she was far too tired to disagree. It was surprisingly comforting to be held in his arms. He had been right earlier, she had not been getting enough sleep or food. Kephren, being Talisian, didn't require as much food and rest as she did. This weakness, caused by her human blood, had been a hardship her whole life. No matter how much she tried to overcome it, the need for food and rest remained.

"This underground city was built by the Talisian's?" He asked curiously, studying the intricate mosaic worked into the floor and bathing pool.

"No, this was here long before the Talisians arrived. " She murmured sleepily, curling up against him.

He frowned in confusion, "Arrived?"

"They colonized this world long ago." She confirmed.

"They are not native to this world?"

"No." Thyss answered, watching as he digested this new information.

"Who built this?" He asked, his eyes roaming the beautiful mosaic that had been painstakingly worked into the floor.

"I don't know much about them. They were extinct before this world was colonized. Nothing remains of their culture, save this citadel that we are now in."

Sesshomaru silently pondered how interesting his life had become since she had found him. Boredom was the only thing that truly annoyed him. It was not unusual for him to go to great lengths to relieve it.

He grudgingly admitted to himself that he had not been bored once since she arrived. Angry, irritated, frustrated, exasperated, even amused, but never bored. He might have to keep her around for a while he conceded to himself.

Lost in his private musing, Sesshomaru was not sure at what point she had fallen asleep, but when he glanced down, he saw that she was finally getting some much needed rest. Brushing the dark hair away from her face, he scrutinized the delicate human resting so trustingly in his arms. Now that she wasn't glaring at him, he could clearly see the child in her features. It was unnerving. Sighing in disgust, the demon reflected that his fascination with her was becoming a problem. As The Lord of The Western Lands, it was not acceptable for him to be taken with a human. It was humiliating. The worst part was that he knew this was a problem, yet had done nothing about it. What was happening to him? Power was his objective, and involvement with a human female would not help matters. So why had he followed her? He sighed in self-disgust once more, because the child was his other weakness. He couldn't have just let them take her.

Thryss stirred, opening her eyes drowsily, watching as a disgusted look crossed the demon's countenance, rapidly followed by one of resignation. She shifted slightly in his arms, drawing his attention.

"You should rest awhile longer." He told her.

"I will rest once we have returned. Kephren will be waiting for us in the gate room." She said as she cautiously moved her stiff limbs. Satisfied the majority of the pain was under control, she moved to sit up, only to find him reluctant to let her go.

Wrapping his arm around her, he leaned in close bringing his lips to her ear, "You have not rested long enough."

"I will rest when we have returned to your world." She repeated trying to extricate herself from his arms.

He couldn't resist, it was stupid and childish, but it was so much fun to watch her flounder nervously when he got too close.

Holding her close, Sesshomaru brushed the dark hair back from her face, trailing his clawing lightly across her lips, tracing their soft curves. Lowering his head, he caught her lips, pulling her into a deep kiss. Languidly enjoying the feel of her silky skin under his, he moved across her cheek to murmur sensuously, "Do you not desire my company?" Lowering his head, he trailed his lips down her throat.

Thryss slipped out of his grasp in one smooth movement, rapidly retreating to the other side of the room. Her lack of composure, glaringly obvious to the amused demon. What an idiotic reaction, Thryss grumbled to herself, what was it about this arrogant demon lord that unsettled her so?

"It is time we left." She said, hiding her unease behind the familiar emotionless mask.

Sesshomaru rose from the water, reaching down to retrieve his clothing. He noticed they way Thryss was making an effort not to stare at him. Highly entertained by the inner struggle she seemed to having, he dressed leisurely, giving her plenty of time to admire him.

"There is a gate here? In the citadel?" He asked, having finished dressing.

"Yes, it isn't one of ours, but it is functional and should be able to return us to your world." She answered, relieved that his enticing body was finally covered. She didn't need him distracting her anymore than he already had.

"Should be able to?" He echoed, his pale brows drawing together into a frown.

"The gate is ancient, but stable." She answered.

"That doesn't answer my question."

"We can not use the same gate we did when we came. The guard is looking for us. Fortunately, this citadel is still unknown to them. We can't risk taking a different gate."

"You said this gate is ancient. Have you used it before?"

Thryss paused, glancing back at him, "No."

"Then how do you know it works?" He demanded.

"The citadel is self-sustaining. That includes the gate." She explained, continuing down the corridor.

Sesshomaru followed in silence, swearing to himself, never again would he allow himself to be so foolish.

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Rin followed the tunnel that she had seen Kephren take, only to find herself hopelessly lost. She now stood at a cross road of sorts, with tunnels going off in all directions. Bouncing indecisively on her toes, she used the most trusted means she had at her disposal.

Closing her eyes, she stretched an arm out in front of her and spun rapidly in a circle. Once her head stopped spinning, she opened her eyes to see which tunnel she was pointing at.

"What are you doing?" A wind-like voice asked from behind her.

"Kephren!" Rin said in relief, turning toward the sound of his voice. "I was looking for you."

The Talisian cocked his head in an oddly bird-like movement, watching her with interest, "You thought to find me by spinning in a circle?"

Rin giggled as she trotted over to stand in front of him. "I was lost, and it was the only thing I could think of."

"Ah." Kephren said, looking down at her, mystified. "It would appear that you have found me."

Rin tilted her head back, grinning happily, which only served to further confuse the Talisian.

"Why have you sought me out?"

"Lord Sesshomaru told me to stay with you until Thryss was well enough to travel." She said innocently.

"I see." Kephren said. He did not look pleased.

Rin hesitated, she wanted to ask him about what she seen when Thryss healed her. Looking at the gleaming floor, she traced an invisible path with her toe. Glancing back up, she chewed at lip nervously. Judging by his expression, now may not be the best time.

"very well, come with me." He sighed in resignation.

Rin jogged behind him, trying to keep up with his longer strides. The soft green light that illuminated the corridor, reflected off his metallic hair as it swayed gracefully with his movements, accentuating his flawless alien beauty. She felt so small and grubby in comparison to the beautiful Talisian. Was this how Thryss felt, always small and insignificant? It wasn't a pleasant feeling.

Rin continued to follow in silence. She wanted to talk to him, but being around his extreme beauty made her insecure. She was far too aware of her ragged kimono, her messy hair, and her dirty bare feet.

A cool breeze wafted down the corridor, causing her to shiver and wrap her arms around her body. As they climbed higher, it got progressively colder, finally causing her teeth to chatter.

Kephren turned to look at her curiously. "Why are you making that sound?"

"I'm cold." She said through chattering teeth.

He walked back to where she stood shivering and knelt so that he was eye to eye with her. Reaching out a slender dark hand, he laid it against her cheek, noting how cold her skin was. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I thought maybe I shouldn't."

A frown marred the perfect lines of his face as he regarded her. "If you are in need of assistance, you must tell me." Picking her up, he carried her into one of the rooms connected to the corridor. Moving to a far wall, he placed his free hand under a glowing green symbol. At his touch, the carvings began to move apart, creating a doorway for them to pass through. They room they entered was different from anything she had seen so far. Although the walls had the familiar carvings, this room was filled with oddly shaped objects. Setting her on top of a curved oblong object, he leaned down and reached into it..

Bouncing a little, Rin noted that although the thing was looked smooth it was actually kind of spongy. It might be nice to have one these she thought, flopping backwards into its foamy mass.

"Put this on." Kephren instructed, handing her an oddly shaped garment.

Rin took the strange clothing, then looked around the room for somewhere to change. Not seeing anything to change behind, she looked uncertainly at the Talisian. "Is there somewhere I can change?"

Kephren just stared at her blankly.

"I can't change in front of you." She told him, "It wouldn't be proper."

"Proper?" He queried.

Judging by the baffled look on his face, he no concept of modesty. "Well, at least turn around, you can't watch me."

Perplexed by the odd request, "Is it customary for your people to change in private?" he asked, turning his back to her.

"Of course, you don't?" She asked in shock.

"No. There is no need to be concerned about such things." He said to Rin's horror.

Quickly divesting herself of the destroyed kimono, she started to put on the odd clothing. After several unsuccessful tries, she swallowed her nervousness, "I don't know how to put it on."

"There is a division in the back, touch it." He said, still keeping his back to her.

Doing as he instructed, the material immediately opened up allowing her to step into it. "You can turn around now." She told him a short time later.

Kephren turned around to find the child had managed to get into the clothing, but hadn't figured out how to close the back. "You must command it to close." he told her.

"Please close." Rin said, following his instructions. The clothing pulled together, sealing along her back, then adjusted to comfortably fit her shape. Looking down at the strange material, Rin realized it looked a lot like what she had seen both Thryss and Kephren wear. The top was fitted from her neck to her hips,and then flared out at the legs to allow for easy movement. Rin loved it. The material was soft and smooth. It flowed perfectly with her body as she moved, never tightening or binding. It was also wonderfully warm.

Kephren watched as the child twisted and stretched, testing the new clothing.

"It so comfortable!" Rin squealed in delight.

Kephren grinned, "Then it is yours."

Rin bowed in thanks, earning another bemused stare. "Thank you." She said.

Rin stilled, mustering her courage, she had to know, "Was Thryss hurt because of me?" she asked.

"She chose the fastest way to heal you. The injuries were the result of her absorbing your pain." He answered.

"She took my pain?" Rin echoed, her face screwing up in confusion. "I didn't mean for her to get hurt." She said quietly.

Kephren tilted his head to one side, "Why are you concerned? It was her choice."

Rin stared at him with big earnest eyes, "I wouldn't want someone to get hurt because of me."

Kephren stared at her like she had grown a second head. Shaking his head this bizarre concept, he sat down on one of the oblong objects.

Rin walked hesitantly over to him, and perched on the edge of the thing he was sitting on. She bowed her head, not sure what to say. It was difficult not to stare at him. It didn't seem fair that he was so perfect. It made her dwell on her own, not so perfect qualities. Like wild, unruly hair. Not fair at all. Lord Sesshomaru was the same way, he was so exquisitely beautiful, it was difficult to keep her eyes off him.

"You do not need to fear me, I will not harm you." He said, seeing the way she was nervously biting her lip. She glanced up shyly at his words.

She had to know if what she saw was true,"Are Thryss and me the same person." she spat out the words, needing to get this over with.

"She is one possible future. Although you are the same individual, your future is not set, it is up to you what kind of person you will be. " He answered slowly.

Rin hung her head, "I saw into her mind, when she healed me." She couldn't bring herself to talk about what she had seen.

Kephren recognized the confusion and distress that was plaguing her. It was understandably difficult for the child to accept the frightening future she had glimpsed. Although she was still a child, she carried the soul of the only being he had ever offered his loyalty and trust too. He didn't find it acceptable for her to feel self-doubt, not around him.

Leaning over to look into her eyes, "You are a younger version of a person that I respect more than anyone else I have ever known." Kephren grinned, his teeth flashing in the faint light, "Thryss was once like you, convinced she would never be one of us. She thought she was weak, but her strength was always there, hidden under the surface. She just needed to learn how to use it. You are the same."

"It was difficult for Thryss. She was unlike anyone we had ever seen. I didn't understand _how_ different she was, due to her human blood." he admitted ruefully. Studying her silver-stained eyes, "Talis is part of you, and as I have stood by Thryss, so will I stand by you." he promised.

Rin stared at him with wide eyes, then smiled from ear to ear. She had gotten to know the Talisian through Thryss' mind, and knew he would do anything for her. Impulsively she through her small arms around his neck, hugging him as tightly as she could. It was odd, she wasn't in the least concerned about hugging him, yet she wouldn't dare to that to Lord Sesshomaru.

Kephren held perfectly still. His experience with children being almost non-existent, he didn't know how to react. He wryly acknowledged his relief that no one was here to see this little fiasco, it would put a serious dent in his reputation as a fierce warrior.

"Hasn't anyone ever hugged you? You're like hugging a statue." Rin said in exasperation.

"You are a child."

"So, what does that have to do with it?"

"On Talis adults do not have any contact with children."

"No contact at all?" She asked in a subdued voice. "What happens if some one needs help?"

Kephren shrugged, "They either find a way to survive, or they die." he said indifferently.

Rin stared into the eerie silver eyes and wondered how anyone could live like that. No one deserved that degree of isolation. She was starting to understand a little more why it seemed like Kephren didn't care, when in fact the opposite was true.

"If you are ready, we should continue on our way to the gate room. Thryss will meet us there." He said dropping the subject. Turning toward the hall, he indicated she was to follow him.

"What's a gate room?" Rin asked, skipping along beside him.

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The gate room, as it turned out, did not actually contain a gate. Rin pursed her lips at the strange oddities of these people. "I thought you said we were going to the gate room. Why isn't there any gate?" She demanded of Kephren.

Busy studying an odd thing in the middle of the room, he did not bother to look at her, "The gate is right here." he said absently.

Rin sighed, "I don't see it."

The room was decidedly bare. Except for the oddly shaped thing in the middle of the floor, it was completely empty. The carvings that covered the walls throughout the structure, were strangely absent in this room. Except for a glowing green symbol on one of the walls, the remainder of the room; wall, floor, and ceiling, were completely smooth.

This time he did turn to address to her, "I am standing in front of it." he said, looking at her strangely.

"That is not a gate, that is...well I don't know what that is, but I know its not a gate." She said emphatically.

He cocked a silver eyebrow at her irritated tone, "Perhaps you can enlighten me as to what you think a gate is."

"It is a fence or wall that has a door that you pass through." Why would he ask such a ridiculous question?

"The gate I am standing in front of allows you to pass from one world to another. I believe its appearance is different from what you were expecting." He said.

"You can travel to other worlds?" She asked in disbelief.

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Thryss and Sesshomaru entered the gate room just as Rin was grilling Kephren about there being no gate in the gate room.

Thryss looked at the demon who stood by her side and saw her amusement reflected in his eyes. Privately she was amazed at Rin's tenacity. Kephren did not ordinarily allow anyone to question him, let alone bother to answer. Well, that wasn't totally true, he had always answered her questions, and when it came down to it, Rin was her.

"This particular gate will take us back to your world." Thryss informed her as she entered the room.

Rin spun around at the sound of her voice, "Thryss! Are you alright?"

"I am fine." Thyrss answered, wondering what she was so worried about.

Kephren activated the ancient gate, and stepped back. The air in the room pulsed with energy as the gate began to form. The green light of the room seem to pull inward, sucking into a whirlpool of energy. As the energy intensified, the air suddenly ripped apart with a roar. A black void surrounded by swirling green light hovered in the middle of the room.

Looking down at the open-mouthed child, "This is a gate." Kephren said, taking her hand and pulling her toward the void.

"Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin voice shook as she looked to the demon lord for assurance.

"It is as he says, it will take us home." He told her.

Nodding in acknowledgment, she followed Kephren into the sinister black void.

A second later, Thryss and Sesshomaru followed.

The gate shut down, and the citadel was once again shrouded in darkness.

**Authors Note:** Oh, this was one of those 4-5 page chapters that some how morphed into 13 pages. Hopefully my grammar is okay, because my sister was away this weekend, and I was on my own. She did read it through, before I finished it, and thought it was a weak. Was it weak? I know there was less violence in this one, but I thought it might be nice for a change. Please let me know what you think, I love getting your reviews.

**To Rhetorical-Ducky:** You asked a few unusually specific questions, so I wanted to try an answer them.

I made up Talis and its people, although I was influenced by an alien race in the TV series _Babylon 5_, called _Shadows. _

Thyrss is pronounced, Thriss, like kiss.

I didn't originally plan to have poor Sesshomaru leave the Earth, but my characters seem to have a mind of their own, and have been bossing me around lately. The Talisian's decided it would be a good idea to come after Rin, go figure.


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha

Chapter 21

"Lord Sesshomaru," Jaken moaned, "where are you?"

Oblivious to the beautiful day, the toad continued to pace the track he had worn in the ground, occasionally glancing toward an empty grassy area. There was nothing unusual about the trees, or the grass that the little demon watched so intently. To the casual observer, the toad might have seemed unbalanced as he walked around muttering to himself.

The blue sky was brushed with a few wispy clouds that looked as though they had been painted there. A warm breeze blew through the autumn foliage carrying a few brilliantly colored leaves along its currents. Jaken noticed none of this. His lord had been gone for almost 48 hours, and the void had not reopened since. Jaken was one very worried toad. It was true that Jaken was demon, but he was a _small_ demon. His accustomed lifestyle depended on his lord's return. The toad shivered at the though of going on without Lord Sesshomaru. He couldn't imagine serving any other Lord.

Distracted by the possibility of life without Lord Sesshomaru, Jaken failed to notice the void reopen.

"Jaken." Jaken started violently at the familiar voice. "I would think some response to the return of your lord might be warranted."

"Lord Sesshomaru! I am so relieved you are back!" Jaken barely managed to contain the tears of joy that were threatening to spill over as he approached the demon lord. Stopping in front of his master, the toad plunged his beak-like nose into the ground, delighted to offer some world-class groveling. That is until he perceived that his lord was dressed completely in black, save for his pelt.

"My lord, what happened to your clothes?" He blurted. Any further questions were cut short as his lord's foot landed on his head, shoving his beak into the soft green grass. "Forgive me my lord, I meant no offense." came the muffled voice.

Paying no further attention to his servant, Sesshomaru motioned to Ah-Un, the two-headed dragon, who was contentedly grazing nearby.

The demon's plans were sidetracked as Rin launched herself at Jaken, catching him in the strangle hold that she considered a hug. "Master Jaken, I am so happy to see you!" She squealed, squeezing the poor toad until his eyes bulged.

"Rin you foolish child, release me at once." Jaken complained, secretly relieved to see her safe. "Really, his lordship goes to all the trouble of saving you and..." the toad's voice caught in his throat, "Rin, your eyes." He whispered, staring into eyes that no longer looked human.

"What about my eyes?" Rin asked curiously. Jaken backed away. The child's soft brown eyes had streams of silver etched into them. She looked and acted like Rin, but those eyes didn't belong to the child he knew.

"Rin, you will ride Ah-Uh with Jaken." Sesshomaru's calm command shook the toad out of his stupor. Looking to his lord, he saw warning in the deceptively calm golden eyes.

Turning his attention away from the two climbing onto the dragon, Sesshomaru held out his hand to Thryss who had been watching the exchange. Her eyes dropped to the hand, then narrowed. Returning his gaze with a challenging one of her own, Thryss pivoted on her heel and marched over to Kephren. Stubborn female, the demon grumbled to himself. She was still extremely weak after healing Rin. She needed food and rest, and she needed them soon. So, of course, her pride would prevent her from accepting anything that could be construed as aid. Sesshomaru sighed in exasperation, why couldn't she ever do anything the easy way.

"You will travel with me." He informed her.

"Why would she choose you when I am here?" Kephren inquired.

"I was not addressing you." The demon snapped dismissively.

"Aarrrgghhh...Lord Sesshomaru, why did you bring that vile creature back with you?" The horror in Jaken's voice, caught Kephren's attention.

"I didn't bring it. It followed me." Sesshomaru said irritably.

Kephren watched in amusement as the toad discovered him looking at it, and immediately lost its balance, slipping from the dragon's back. Scrambling desperately, he slowly slid, then tumbled the rest of the way down the dragon's green scales. As Jaken hit the ground with a squishy sounding plop, Kephren watched the toad's warty green legs flail frantically as he tried to untangle himself from his long robes.

Turning his attention from the distraught toad to the demon, he protested, "I am wounded! I thought we had bonded, but now I see I must start all over again." Widening his silver eyes dramatically, Kephren stared with anticipation at the demon.

"Bonded? With you?" Sesshomaru snorted. "You must have lost what little intelligence you had left when we went through that last gate." Dismissing the Talisian, he began to summon the energy he would need to travel.

Indifferent to the growing anger in the demon's eyes, Kephren came up beside him, a mischievous glint in the silver eyes.

A loud explosion, immediately followed by the sound of falling trees, and a cloud of dust, caught their attention. Sesshomaru groaned, bringing his thumb and forefinger up to rub the bridge of his nose. He was cursed. That's what it was, he was cursed. Cracking open his eyes slightly, he could see that the Talisian was watching him, curiosity filling the silver eyes. The demon racked his brain for a way to avoid the ridiculous situation he was about to find himself in.

"My lord, that explosion was caused by Tetsusaiga. Lord Inu Yasha must be near." Jaken exclaimed, unaware of the murderous look his lord was now aiming at him.

"Inu Yasha?" Kephren asked. Anything that could annoy the arrogant demon even from a distance was worthy of investigation.

"He is Lord Sesshomaru's worthless younger brother." Jaken announced, puffing out his chest proud to be the source of this information.

"What is a brother?" The Talisian inquired.

Rin had jumped off Ah-Un, the better to be in the midst of what was going on. "A brother is the another child that belong to your mother and father." She was pleased to be able to instructed him.

"A blood relative?" Kephren inquired.

"Yes." Rin said, grinning happily at how easily he had grasped the concept.

Sesshomaru inwardly cringed. He could see a flash of red as his younger brother raced toward him. Normally he would be inclined to teach the whelp a lesson; but he had no desire to deal just now with both his idiotic brother and the Talisian, who was watching him with rapt attention.

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"What is it?" Kogome's delicate raven brows, drew into a worried frown. She watched as the boy with puppy-dog ears, sniffed the air.

He grunted in answer, staring intently past the tree-line.

"Inu Yasha!" Fuzzy ears twitched uneasily at her sharp tone.

"What?" The boy called Inu Yasha may have been cute, but his manners weren't

"I asked you what was the matter." The school girl said pronouncing each word slowly and distinctly, just to make sure he clearly understood.

The small foot tapping an annoyed staccato against the dirt road, belied her seemly patient demeanor. Inu Yasha, well aware of the girl's unpredictable temper, hesitated a moment too long as he tried to figure out what the right answer was.

Stomping up to boy, she stared threateningly into his inhumanly golden eyes. Sucking in a breath, Kogome prayed for patience. "Why is it so difficult to answer one simple question?"

The soft ears tilted backwards, showing he felt himself properly chastised, "Sesshomaru is close by." he told brusquely.

Kogome gasped, a sickening feeling of terror, knotting the muscles of her stomach. "Sesshomaru is here?" she asked anxiously.

"Yeah." The boy rasped, narrowing his slit-pupiled eyes at the forest. "I had better find out what he wants." he decided. Straightening up, earing facing forward, a determined look settled on his face. The brilliant sunlight soaked into the red clothing giving him a warm glow, as the breeze lifted his long pale hair. The school girl sighed somewhat romantically at the picture he made. That is until he turned his attention back to her, a confused look replacing the previous one.

"You look weird. You feeling okay?"

Stupid Inu Yasha. She groused to herself. He didn't have a romantic bone in his body. Just her luck. Seeing her grumpy look, he shrugged, moving toward the tree line, to unsheath the powerful sword he had inherited from his father. Sliding out of the scabbard, the rusty dented, chipped blade was a disgrace to swords everywhere. Until whatever power that resided within the boy flowed into the blade. The scared metal expanded into a massive blade that shined brightly in the sunlight. The once ratty handle elongated, its now perfect shaft disappearing into a hilt made of pristine white fur. The sword was easily as long as the boy was tall, but despite its monstrous size, he wielded it effortlessly.

Raising the sword, he swung it in a wide sweeping arc. Calling out the sword's name, powerful energy rushed from the blade, clearing a path through the dense forest.

"Wait I am coming with you." The school girl called, her strange clothing showing far too much of her bare legs as she ran over to him.

"No you ain't" The boy said gruffly, "You know how Sesshomaru is. I don't need to be worrying about you getting hurt."

The girls pretty face took on a mulish expression, "I am going." She said with finality.

"No, you aren't!" The boy argued. He knew it was futile, but he couldn't seem to help himself.

"I'm coming with you, and that's that." She gave him a challenging look, daring him to try and stop her.

Knowing if he didn't allow her to accompany him, she would just follow, the boy crouched down so that she could climb onto his back. Hooking his arms under her knees, he took off in the direction of the scent he had smelled earlier.

They traveled through the forest with amazing speed, passing through the tree's faster than any human could have. Of course being half-demon, the boy had some unusual abilities.

As they cleared the trees, Kogome could make out the long pale hair of Inu Yasha's older brother. She frowned as she noticed the black clothing.

"Hey Inu Yasha, why is Sesshomaru wearing black?" She asked, she had never seen him wear anything than the white silk.

"I don't know." He answered. The change of clothes unsettled the boy. His older brother was notoriously vain when it came to his appearance. Sesshomaru never wore anything besides the white silk. What had happened to change things, since the last time they had met?

Authors Note: Yeah, my editor is back from the beach!

**ArizonaBay****...Where are youuuuu? You are the reason I didn't give up after the first few chapters! Please don't stop reviewing :(**

**Mistress Ayako – **Thanks for the encouragement, I was floundering without my editor. Keep reading, I will answer your questions in the next chapter or two.

**Rhetorical-Ducky** – Thryss actually was an idea I had for an entirely different character, who was half human/ half alien. I am not sure if I can explain why it suddenly seemed like it would work with the Inu Yasha universe, but I thought-what if this character had been Rin? After all, if Rin had been raised under vastly different circumstances, she would be much different than the child Sesshomaru had known- the more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea. Not to mention, I haven't seen another story with this idea. So...I worked up my courage and gave it a shot. Okay, sorry for the long explanation. :)


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha

Chapter 22: Kephren

Sesshomaru watched impassively as his younger brother skidded to a halt in front him.

"What are you doing here?" Inu Yasha demanded without preamble.

The demon lord narrowed his eyes at the accusatory sound of the half-breed's question.

"What I do is none of your concern." Sesshomaru replied coldly.

"Yeah right, you just happen to be in the area." Inu Yasha replied sarcastically. Glancing over his shoulder to make sure Kagome was a safe distance behind him, Inu Yasha studied his brother's new wardrobe. "What's with the get up?" he asked, indicating the unusual black clothing.

"You came here just to inquire about my clothing?" The demon lord inquired lifting a pale brow.

The half-demon snorted, "Makes no difference to me what you wear. What I want to know, is why you are following us."

"Following you? Why would I follow you? You think too highly of your self _little brother_." Sesshomaru sneered.

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Kephren stepped back to observe the demon's blood relation with interest. There was a resemblance between them, but the younger brother was little more than a child. He noted the rashness with which the boy had rushed in. He hadn't even noticed there were others with the demon lord. Kephren shook his head at the boy's foolishness. He would not live long if he did not learn caution. Losing interest, he turned his attention to the boy's companion.

The Talisian's gaze wandered slowly over the human girl. She was young, but unlike the boy she didn't directly challenge the demon lord.

Kephren smiled to himself as he decided to investigate. He hadn't had a chance to get a good look at a human yet, and opportunity had just presented itself. Even better, he suspected the demon lord would be seriously displeased with his intentions.

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Kagome nervously chewed her lip, frantically wondering how to prevent the inevitable blood. The two brothers could not be in the same place without coming to blows. Inu Yasha was strong, but she didn't doubt her friend would be in grave peril if Sesshomaru got serious. The problem was, you could never tell what the enigmatic demon lord was thinking.

Thoroughly distracted by thoughts of torn, bloody bodies, Kagome was unaware of Kephren's approach. A shadow fell across her eyes, drawing her attention. The school girl gasped, staring wide-eyed at the most exotically beautiful being she had ever seen. He, and it was definitely a he, walked around her with inhuman grace.

Standing with her mouth hanging open, she gaped at him speechlessly. As he came to stop in front her, she noted that his eyes were completely silver; no iris, no cornea, no pupil. A faint shiver ran down her back at the unnatural sight.

"What kind of demon are you?" She managed to get out.

His lips quirked, "Demon? No, not a demon." he said in a voice that sounded like rushing wind.

The eerie quality of his voice snapped her out of the stupor she had been in. Collecting her scattered wits, she quickly backed away.

Following her backwards movements, he reached out to cup her cheek in a slender black hand. "You are human?" he inquired.

"What?" She stammered. Jerking away from the hand that was resting on her cheek, Kagome staggered, losing her balance. Falling to the ground in an ungainly heap, she crab-walked rapidly away from him.

Crouching down in front of her, he repeated slowly, "Are you human?"

"What kind of question is that?" She asked, thoroughly flustered..

"A fairly simple one, I would have thought." He replied dryly.

The school girl gulped uneasily as he gracefully leaned forward, bringing his face close to hers. Long metallic-silver hair brushed her arm as he cocked his head, regarding her with interest. Kagome found she was shivering uncontrollably for some reason. Now that was weird. He was creepy, but he hadn't actually tried to hurt her. So what was with this weird nervous reaction she was having to him?

"So delicate." He murmured softly, his gaze slowly roaming over her face.

Kagome fidgeted apprehensively under the intense scrutiny. Why was he looking at her like that? "What are you staring at?" she blurted.

His expression turned wickedly mischievous as he took in the rattled look she was currently wearing. Bringing his lips to her ear. "My company would be much more pleasant than that of the boy." he

whispered sensuously, his breath brushing across her skin, stirring a few strands of her dark hair.

_'That's it, I'm outa here_!' were the only coherent thoughts that entered her mind. Galvanized into action, Kagome shoved against his chest, tumbling backwards when she failed to push him off balance.

"Inu Yasha!" She shrieked, scrambling frantically as she backed away. She needed to put some distance between her and this disturbingly gorgeous person, immediately.

In an instant the half-demon was racing toward them, "Get away from her!" he yelled, crooking his fingers with deadly intent.

Kagome watched as the stranger turned to face the furious boy. Not even bothering to to stand, he watched, with what looked like amusement, as Inu Yasha charged at him.

Kephren reached out with a mental command, stopping the boy in his tracks. Shaking his head in amazement at the boy's stupidity, he walked over to where the demon's brother stood motionless, held firmly by the Talisian's psionic command. Noting the shock on the boy's face, "Did you think to defeat me with nothing more than determination?" he queried.

Stuggling futilely against the mental hold, Inu Yasha growled menacingly, "We'll see how you feel, when I sharpen my claws on you."

Stopping in front of the boy, Kephren's pupiless silver eyes gleamed. "A challenge?" he asked, his gaze sliding from Inu Yasha to the girl, "If you lose, I will claim her." he warned.

"Claim her?" Inu Yasha echoed, frowning, "Sheesh, she ain't property."

Kephren's eyed him thoughtfully, "She is your companion?" he surmised, glancing at the school girl, "She is not your equal, so why not claim her?" he asked curiously.

"Huh?" Inu Yasha's face crinkled in confusion.

"Claim her? What _exactly_, do you mean by claim her?" Kagome demanded, stomping over, annoyed at having been discussed as though she wasn't there.

At her sharp tone, the stranger turned to face her. "You are reckless, for one so fragile." he remarked, moving toward her.

"Stay away from me." She warned, retreating at his approach.

"What will you do?" He questioned, ignoring her warning.

"I'll...I'll..." Actually, she had no idea what she would do.

"As I thought." Kephren grinned, reaching out to catch hold of her. "There is nothing you can do. Why do you resist? I am not like the boy." he murmured, sliding his hands down her arms and around her back, pulling her closer.

Kagome squeaked in surprise at the unexpected contact. Sliding his hand slowly down her back, to rest on her hip, Kephren noted her outraged expression with amusement.

The girl's mouth dropped open at his brazen familiarity. Narrowing her eyes furiously at this unacceptable behavior, "What do you think you are doing?"

Raising a silver eyebrow at the furious glare she leveling at him, Kephren laughed softly. Even as she struggled against him, she would have been hard pressed to say if it was out of fear.

"Hey, its me you wanted, leave her alone." The boy snarled.

"This was never about you." Kephren replied dismissively.

"Enamored of a human? Why am I not surprised." A mocking voice interrupted.

"Sesshomaru? What are you doing with him?" Inu Yasha asked incredulously.

Ignoring the half-breed entirely, the demon lord approached the shivering human girl the creature had inexplicably taken a liking to.

"You're not bringing her with you." He informed the creature.

Sesshomaru surreptitiously watched the Talisian out of the corner of his eye. Who would have thought a weak human girl would have caught the creature's attention. Then again, he did seem attached to Thryss, who looked human.

"Humans are fragile, careful lest you break your new toy." The demon lord remarked, flipping his heavy hair over his should as he left to rejoin the rest of his group.

Kephren sighed regretfully. "I fear he is actually right for once. You will have be without me for a little while longer."

"Toy?" Kagome asked furiously. "You think I am a toy?"

"A very pretty toy," He answered soothingly. For a reason the Talisian couldn't fathom, she wasn't

soothed.

If a looks could kill, Kephren would have been reduced to ash. Wondering what had upset her, "For such weak little thing, you are quite prickly." he observed.

Kagome glared at the beautiful being who was holding her carefully. It was almost as if he was afraid she might shatter at his touch. She also noted that he was even more assertive than that wolf demon, who was convinced she was his one true love.

Still, it was impossible not to stare at him. His skin was so dark, it seemed to absorb the light. She had never seen anything like it. Add to that, hair that shined like silver silk. His unearthly beauty seemed almost alien. She had seen beautiful people before, but never like him. He was in a class all his own.

"Who are you." She whispered to herself.

Bringing his hands up to cup her face, he told her, "I am called Kephren." With that said, he released her, returning to simmering half-demon who was still caught in his mental hold.

Stopping briefly in front of the boy, "If you have any desire to claim the girl for yourself, you had better learn to curb that reckless abandon of yours. Challenging me at your current skill level, would be suicide."

Turning away dismissively, he released his hold, freeing the boy.

"Inu Yasha!" Kagome called as she ran over, grabbing hold of the front of his shirt. He had been about to attack the arrogant jerk, until he saw Kagome's visible distress. All thoughts of violence fled, as concern took its place.

"Are you all right?" he asked anxiously. "He didn't hurt you did he?"

"No, I'm okay." Kagome frowned as she watched Kephren join Sesshomaru's group. More surprising still, was when she saw the child, Rin, skip over and take hold of his hand. Noticing the child's odd clothing, she wondered what was going on. Then she saw something she had thought impossible.

"Is that a human woman I see with Sesshomaru?" She whispered in disbelief.

Following her line of vision, the boys golden eyes widened. "I don't believe it. Sesshomaru could care less about humans. They're like insects to him." Inu Yasha watched, dumbfounded, as his brother held out his hand, assisting the human to stand beside him on the energy cloud. "I have a bad feeling about this. I think we should follow them for a while—from a distance that is."

Authors Note: This chapter was for my mom. Yes, she reads this too. Of course I do a bit of editing first--to make it parent friendly. She has been telling me for 2 months now that Kephren needs someone. She loved this chapter, but my sister said "Yuck", what do you think? Don't worry, the story will be moving along in the next chapter, my inner-nerd has been grouching at me to hurry up.

**Arizonabay**: Yeah! Your still with me! Hope you had fun at the beach! :)

**Rhetorical-Ducky:** I attempted to improve on InuYasha, did I succeed? If not, what was it that seemed out of character? Knowing what is over done or under done is really helpful. Thanks!

**Mistress Ayako: **Thanks for the Sesshomaru compliment. The one thing I was worried about when I started this, was if I could keep Sesshomaru's character intact.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha

Chapter 23: A Dying World

Thryss watched as the human girl ran over to Sesshomaru's younger sibling, taking hold of his voluminous red robe. The boy looked down at her, concern etched on his face as he examined her anxiously for injuries. Thryss considered them with narrowed eyes. The girl wasn't in the least insulted at his obvious concern over wounds she might have sustained. On Talis the girl would have been claimed or killed outright. Her acceptance of this crippling weakness was irrational.

"Come." Sesshomaru's quiet demand drew her attention. This time he did not offer his assistance. Sparing a glance at Kephren, who was thoughtfully watching the girl, Thryss acceded to the demon lord. Stopping at the edge of his energy cloud, she considered the best way to step onto it, without losing her balance.

"If you do not take my hand it will be impossible to stay upright." he informed her as he held out a black clawed hand.

Thryss hesitated then accepted the proffered hand. Pulling her up beside him, the demon lord secured her with one arm, and lifted them off the ground.

Thyrss looked back to see that Kephren had joined the child and the toad. The toad was trying to stay as far away as possible from her dark world companion by sitting on the back of the two-headed dragon. Jaken had made a poor choice, for he kept sliding off its back and down its tail. Kephren for his part seemed to be enjoying himself as the child road in front of him, chattering happily. It was strange to see her companion so tolerant, yet it pleased her to see him at ease. On Talis, you never let your guard down, at least not if you wanted to live.

Sesshomaru studied Thryss as she focused on the interaction of the rest of their group. She stood relaxed as she watched Kephren lazily torment Jaken, who had moved so far back on the dragon, he was now riding its tail.

After a time she started to lean against him as the warm air washed over them, its soft peaceful flow relaxing her even further. She glanced up startled as he bent down and hooked an arm under her knees, lifting her easily into his arms.

"Rest. I will wake you when we arrive." Acknowledging her exhaustion, Thryss wrapped an arm around his neck, and buried her head in soft fur resting on his shoulder. The demon's lips quirked slightly at her acquiescence; she must be thoroughly exhausted, she hadn't even complained. Sesshomaru's golden eyes drifted lazily past the sleeping woman, to the brilliant array of colors in the trees as they passed, a feeling of contentment coming over him. His eyes followed the ribbon of yellow that wound its way through a background of red in the trees below. The unbroken swath of yellow against so much red intrigued him; drawing his eyes down the length of the ridge below. His eyes left the yellow, as he began to recognize familiar home territory.

As the palace finally come into view, "We are here." he said.

Thryss sleepily opened her eyes, giving him a befuddled look.

"We are nearing the palace, the view is quite beautiful." he said, as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, following his gaze to the palace below.

It was--unusual. All the buildings on Talis were a gleaming black. This was white. Thryss scowled at the odd looking structure. Not only was it glaringly white, but the roof, which slanted and sloped in strange directions, was blue. She blinked at the offensively colorful building. The castle sat atop a craggy bluff, with one side surrounded by water. As they closed in she could make out a series of walls that surrounded the structure. Landing outside the outermost wall, they stopped in front of a large fortified gate. A pair of monstrous demons, who acted as guards, opened the gate to greet their returning lord.

Setting her down, Sesshomaru nodded to the guards and proceeded through the entrance, with Thryss and others bringing up the rear.

Leaving Rin in Jaken's care, Kephren caught up to Thryss. Meeting her gaze, his eyes silently echoed her distaste at the flamboyance of the place. Walking side by side, they contemplated the towering brilliant white walls that surrounded the grounds. The pristine expanse was broken by heavy wooden doors fortified with metal bands binding the thick planks together. The purpose of the six individual gates they had to pass through to reach the main structure puzzled the Talisians.

Beyond the last gate, an open grassy area came into view. From the arrangement of the rocks and plant life, the landscape was obviously not natural.

Carefully trimming trees and bushes, small imp-like demons watched as the powerful demon lord led his guests through the court yard. Quickly dismissing the human, they bowed deeply as the other guest turned and stared at them out of his pupiless silver eyes. He didn't look like any demon they had ever seen, but if he traveled with their lord, he was no ordinary demon. The imps shuddered, drawing away from this frightening being. He appeared slender, but there was no mistaking the power that surrounded him like a cloak.

Kephren watched the small demons tend the strategically placed shrubs placed around the path made of smooth flat stones. Larger rocks stretched across a slender stream that wound through land, adding movement to the tranquility of the landscape. The various types of demons, who tended the meticulous grounds, glanced up at their arrival bowing as their lord passed.

Thryss felt the eyes of the demons follow her as they proceeded to main house. Although the demons made no threatening moves, she could feel violence lurking under their respectful demeanor. She indifferently noted their hostility, if they fool enough to challenge her, they would not survive it.

As they entered the palace, the Talisians once again were assaulted by intense colors and textures. The walls were delicately painted and sliding panels acted as doors, a wide array of mats and pillows in jewel tones proliferated. Some of the rooms they passed had intricately carved dark wood tables that sat close to the floor. The majority of the furniture was a dark wood, carved with dragons, or inlaid with iridescent shells to form a panoramic scene. There was also beautifully painted vases and statues adorning the tables and storage chests.

Sesshomaru paused, curious to see what had finally managed to silence Kephren. A bit disgruntled,the demon lord saw that neither Thryss nor Kephren paid him any heed, as they silently studied the unfamiliar surroundings.

"I assume from your awed silence, that you have not been in a castle before." he drawled sarcastically, pulling their attention away from one of the many artworks that graced his house.

At their continued silence, Sesshomaru instructed Rin to show Kephren to a room, and summoned a servant to take Thryss to another one of the guest rooms to freshen up. As both Talisians followed silently, Sesshomaru thought to himself that the silence was something of a miracle considering one of them was Kephren.

The demon lord had just ordered that a repast be prepared when he heard a scream. Sesshomaru sighed, wondering what his guests had gotten themselves into already.

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Thryss followed the female demon through the palace, until they came to a bathing chamber. The demoness instructed several smaller demons to begin filling a brightly tiled pool with scented oil.

Regarding Thryss out of narrowed eyes she wondered how could this pathetic human female have captured her lord's attention . She was far more beautiful than this human, yet her lord barely noticed her existence.

Jealousy ate away at the demoness as Thryss continued her inspection of this most unusual place. Noticing an extraordinarily detailed vase, she extended a hand to feel the raised design.

"How dare you defile our lord's palace with your filthy touch." The demoness snarled, grabbing Thryss' hand before she touched the vase. The demoness could not control the chill that ran through her as the human turned to regard her out of coldest eyes she had ever seen.

"Worthless insect." Thryss snarled, hitting the demoness with a psionic blast. Slamming into the wall, the wooden beam splintering with a loud crack. Stalking forward, her dark eyes, cold as death, the Talisian elongated the armor on her hand driving it through the demoness' abdomen, pinning her to the wall. The female screamed as the black metal spines pierced her flesh.

A black clawed hand took hold of Thryss' wrist, "I leave you alone for five minutes, and you start skewering my staff." he said in exasperation. Pulling her hand back to remove the spines that had pierced the demoness."

"Leave us." He commanded the demoness, which she did with amazing speed.

Thryss glared up at him.

Resisting the urge to rub his temples, Sesshomaru told her, "I cannot have you randomly killing off my staff." Sighing in resignation, "You will have to remain with me." he decided.

Thryss stared at him mutinously. No doubt insulted that she had been deprived of her kill. Looking down at the indignant expression on her face, an unexpected urge to laugh came over him. The entire situation was just so ridiculous.

"Come, the bath has been prepared and my staff is readying a meal for us." he said placing his hand on her shoulders and steering her toward the waiting bath. She didn't look satisfied, but at least she had stopped giving that murderous stare.

Reclining on a mat that had been placed beside the pool, Sesshomaru watched as she stepped into the water, absorbing the armor into her skin.

Thyrss looked over to find the demon had casually decided to watch her bathe. Irritation came rushing back at the perverse pleasure he seemed to take in making her uneasy. Stepping into the pool, she called the black metal into herself. If he thought to unnerve her, it wouldn't work. Scanning the pool for some form of cleansing agent, her eyes landed on the demon, who was holding a small container.

"Come here." He instructed her.

Moving to the side of the pool where he reclined, she gave him an inquiring look. Motioning for her to turn around, he sat up and poured some sort of solution into his hand. Carefully working it into her hair, he made sure not to miss any residual blood.

Normally one would have soaped up outside the pool, then soaked in the scented water afterwards, but he wasn't about to attempt an explanation of the custom. His staff would just have to deal with the mess.

The small demon who arrived at the bathing chamber to announce the meal was trying valiantly _not _to stare at the haughty demon lord assisting a lowly human with her bath.

The little demon hurriedly scurried away after having delivered his message. It was with a feeling of relief that he quickly exited the bathing chamber. He had great respect for the powerful demon, but his lord was know to get a bit testy on occasion, and if his lord caught him staring he might get cross.

Finished with her bath, Thryss found she was feeling much more like herself. Healing the child earlier had taken a lot of her energy, it would take some to time for her to regain her strength. Following the demon lord through the odd building she unsuccessfully tried to ignore the the hunger gnawing away at her. Sesshomaru led her to a low table situated in one of the rooms they had passed earlier, motioning for her to be seated.

Rin's cheery voice, announced her arrival at moment later, with Kephren close behind. The Talisian followed the child's instructions, seating himself on one of the cushions.

One of the servants, a slender bird demon, entered the room with a variety of flavorful dishes balanced precariously on her feathered arms. Darting around her lord's guests, she gracefully placed the dishes on the table careful to arrange them attractively. It was important to make sure their lord was pleased, the last time he had been displeased had ended in bloodshed. As she moved swiftly around the room, she surreptitiously studied the powerful lord's guests. One of them was a small human female. The demoness mentally preened, she was far more beautiful than the human.

As she moved around the elegantly carved table, her eyes drifted to the other guest. She wondered what type of demon he was. Demons as a whole were beautiful, but he was something special. She twitched her brightly plumbed tail as she bent to set the plates on the table. Her movement drawing his attention, he looked up to silently regard her out of silver eyes. She shivered in a delicious mixture of fear and excitement. Unreadable and alien, her lord's guest had an aura of power around him so strong she could feel it prickle across her skin.

With skin so black it seemed to absorb the light, and hair that shone like molten silver, the demoness could not keep her eyes from drifting to the coldly beautiful features of her lord's guest as she bustled about serving the meal.

The parade of servants delivering food immediately held Kephren's amused attention. They bustled about, placing a variety of odd looking dishes carefully on the low table. One of the servants poured out a steaming liquid into a small, smooth cup. Feeling her eyes on him, he looked up curiously, and watched as she shivered then scurried away.

Kephren watched in amusement as the army of servants went through the bizarre ritual. "If this is how you treat food, dressing yourself must be something to see." Kephren remarked, causing the bird-like demon to start at the unnatural sound of his voice.

"This _is_ food isn't it?" he queried, studying the strangely colorful array of platters sitting in front of him.

Instead of the expected annoyance, the demon gave him smug look. "I have seen what you ingest. I suppose it shouldn't be surprising that you don't recognize food when you see it."

"Food is meant for sustenance. Our food provides everything we need. What purpose or benefit is there in all this display." Kephren returned, picking up a pale, doughy, lump. "And this would be?" he asked quizzically.

"Just try it. They're delicious!" Rin told him, popping a bun into her mouth.

Thryss decided to wait until Kephren tasted it. Her companion took a bite, and appeared to survive the flavor, so Thryss followed suit. She wasn't impressed. There was a baffling mix of flavors in everything she tried. Some had sauces, some were crisp, and some were soft and spongy. Oh yes, and everything, _everything_ was brightly colored.

During the meal, Rin declared she had some artwork she wanted to show off. Pulling out a wrinkled scroll, she spread it out for them to admire. She had drawn the gracefully curving designs that had covered the walls of the citadel on Talis.

Sesshomaru indulgently examined the artwork, agreeing that it was indeed fine. As he admired the colorful designs the child had drawn, something about them seemed familiar. Taking a closer look, he scrutinized the gracefully curving lines of Rin's picture. He had seen this before, but where?

Thryss leaned over to see what had caught the demon's attention. Meeting her inquiring gaze, he frowned, "I have seen this before." he said. Thryss followed his eyes to the picture. "It resembles the ancient language written on the walls of the citadel." She said, giving the drawing a closer look.

The demon lord stared hard at the scroll, it wasn't the design, it was something else. Sesshomaru eyes widened, "This thread of yellow." he said following it with a black claw, "I saw a thread of yellow, similar to this, in the trees as we passed the mountain."

An unwelcome suspicion entered Kephren's mind. He began mulling over what he had learned while on Talis.

"What is it?" Thryss asked drawing his attention. He looked up regarding her out of expressionless silver eyes, nothing of his thoughts reflected in the unreadable gaze. Thryss narrowed her eyes, he knew something.

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"I believe I have had enough of your food ritual." Kephren said abruptly, rising from the table. Deciding to explore the carefully shaped grassy they area had passed through earlier, he headed outside.

Thryss found Kephren examining a fat fish that swam lazily in the stream flowing through a softly rounded hill as he waited for her. Coming up to him, she met the silver gaze inquiringly.

"The people of Talis are dying." He said flatly.

Thryss' eyes went wide in disbelief. "How do you know this?" She demanded.

"The engineering, it is different from the world we left. They have been selectively engineering here for a great while. The newly engineered children are not surviving past gestation." He said emotionlessly, returning his gaze to the white and orange fish. "They have been collecting samples from various worlds trying to find a solution. The demons were some of the samples they collected."

"What does this have to do with my younger self?" Thryss asked, a knot forming in her stomach.

"Another experiment. They have been introducing the collected samples into some of the children. Rin is one of the few to have survived."

"Then she is not exactly like me?" She surmised.

"Like you, she had both Talisian and human blood, but no she is not like you. You were not engineered." He confirmed.

"Are you positive?"

"Yes. Engineered children, like Rin, have their genetic material cataloged. It is easily sensed if you know what to look for. You have not been cataloged."

"If this is the case what does Rin's drawing have to with anything? It is the language of the ancients, but has nothing to do with our people."

"The art of engineering was learned from remnants of that culture. Your demon saw, what I believe may be evidence left behind, confirming a past visit by the ancients.

"What does that mean?" She asked aghast.

Kephren looked away, a rare disturbed expression on his face, "It means that this world is not in decline, yet our people have targeted it for termination."

"That means there is something here they are searching for. Once they find what they are after, this world would be a liability, and they cannot allow that." Thryss's eyes narrowed angrily. "We need to find out what it is that is so important they would destroy this world to hide it."

Kephren nodded silently, and reached up to touch her face. "We have no way to return home that I am aware of." he said seriously.

Thryss stared at him as the magnitude what he said sunk in. "You will remain with me?"

"Always." He answered, pulling her close.

Wrapping her arms around him, she pressed her forehead to his chest, "Where will we go?" she wondered. If they couldn't find a way to stop the attack, to remain here would mean their death.

"We are Talisian. We will go, where we choose to go." Kephren informed her with his usual arrogance. Thryss smiled slightly, her cheek tightening against his chest.

"I believe we should choose to return and speak with the demon." She told him with a glint in her eyes.

Kephren moaned unhappily, "Why couldn't you choose another. That one irks me."

"Humor me, I am fond of him." She said with a grin, leading him back to the palace.

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"The race is dying?" Sesshomaru asked in shock.

"They have over-engineered to point where they have lost something necessary for the children to gestate properly." Thryss said filling him in on what Kephren had told her.

"Then the line of yellow in the trees was left by the same race that built the citadel?" The demon said, a look of interest coming into his eyes.

"We suspect the ancients left something here that interests the Talisians."

Sesshomaru mulled over what they had told him about the ancient race providing the means for the Talisians knowledge of engineering. Having been to Talis, he knew that his world was in grave danger, but if there was something here they wanted—the demon's thoughts trailed off as a thousand different scenarios played out in his mind.

"We will rest tonight, then tomorrow we will return to where I saw the pattern in the trees." he said decisively, pleased at the notion of an adventure.

Kephren nodded in agreement as he moved toward the door, no longer wishing to remain in the confines of the palace.

Thryss was about to follow him, when she felt Sesshomaru place a restraining hand on her arm.

"You will remain with me." He told her when she looked at him in askance.

As her questioning gaze changed to one of anger, "Last time I left you alone, you almost killed one of my staff." he explained.

"Stay with the demon, I am just going to explore, there is no need to accompany me." Kephren threw over his shoulder as he exited the room, leaving Thryss staring after him in astonishment. Kephren had never rejected her companionship.

Thryss was still reeling in shock as Sesshomaru guided her through the castle. As they arrived at his bedchamber, he noted the exhaustion in her eyes as she watched him.

Thryss watched as he removed his clothing, save for some minimal under garments.

Lowering himself to the bed, "Come." he said extending his hand.

"You expect me to sleep with you?" Thryss asked, irritated at his presumption.

"What is it you fear?" He asked challengingly.

Thryss scowled at him, insulted. Spinning on her heels she moved purposefully in the direction of the hall. Before she even reached the door, the demon was behind her, an arm hooked around her waist. Thryss glared up at him in annoyance.

Sesshomaru leaned down, the longer silvery-white hair brushing against her as he brought his lips to the back of her neck. Thryss stiffened in surprise at the light caress.

"Why do you pull away? I know it is not out of fear. What is it that makes you uneasy around me, but not Kephren?" He asked, bringing the other hand up so that there was a hand resting one on each shoulder.

Thryss didn't answer immediately as she mulled over his question, "I understand Kephren, I do not understand you." She sighed softly, lowering her head in a strangely defeated gesture.

Sliding both arms around her, he pulled her back against his chest. Bending forward he buried his face in her dark hair. Thryss twisted her head, curious to see what he was doing. At her movement he lifted his head to meet her eyes.

With an abrupt movement he shifted his arms, picking her up effortlessly and moving across the room to place her on the bed. He studiously ignored her outraged expression as he laid down beside her. Propping him self up on his elbow, he considered her, resting his cheek in his palm. He still wasn't sure what had come over him, but that didn't change the fact he desired her. Contemplating the strange being who had awoken this unwanted desire, "What is it about you? Why is it that there has never been anyone who captured my attention like you?" he asked, half to himself.

Thryss narrowed her eyes, confused by his words. Truth be told, he had echoed her own thoughts. She couldn't understand what drew her to him. She was no longer seeking answers. So what had changed?

Sesshomaru pushed the dark hair away from her face, "Tell me about Talis." he said softly, weaving the dark silky strands of hair through his clawed fingers.

"What do you want to know?" She asked, her dark brows drawing down into a frown. Why would he show interest in her world?

"Tell me about growing up there." He said, his golden eyes lazily pursuing her face. Still propped up by one hand, he seemed to relax as he reclined beside her absently enjoying the texture of her hair.

Thryss hesitated, "It is a long story."

The demon lord said nothing as he waited expectantly for her to begin. His golden eyes glowing softly as he watched her intently.

Thryss returned his gaze, detecting nothing more than curiosity. Sighing softly, she reached up to tuck the long hair behind an elegantly pointed ear. Tracing the stripes on his cheek that were now covered with black metal, she began slowly, "Child are raised separately from the rest of the population to avoid an early death. I don't remember much about those early years, except that I was different. I didn't know how to defend myself, so I sustained many injuries."

Sesshomaru remained silent as she related the story, unaware that she had never told this to another living soul.

"The Talisians don't need food or sleep like humans do. My need for these things nearly killed me countless times. I guess the first memory that really stands out is when I discovered that I had psionic power." Thryss paused, collecting her thoughts.

Sesshomaru observed the play of emotions on her face. The isolation she had faced must have been overwhelming. There was much he saw in her eyes that she was leaving out.

"I had successfully won a few minor challenges at the time." She began.

"How old were you?"

"I am not positive but I would say it was about a year after I was taken." She decided. "My group was sent on training exercise. Our goal was to eliminate the weakest of the group. The Talisians felt that it was insulting to have an outsider among them. During the exercise they converged on me, intending to end my insulting presence." Thryss stopped, a far away look in her eyes. "Children do not have armor, so they are equipped with their choice of weapon. I was unskilled in comparison and stood little chance of surviving. They surrounded me in standard attack formation, coming at me in groups of three. The first three had chosen a long staff with a sharpened point, which they had intended to use to pin me to the ground. I was able to dodge one of the staffs and roll to the side, avoiding being pinned. When the next two groups came in they had a weapon similar to your sword, which they drove through my legs, arms, and shoulders. At this point I was pinned to such a degree, that I could not have freed myself."

"Yet you survived." He prompted.

"I screamed at them with all the desperation bottled up inside me. Then I felt something inside me release violently. I was stunned by the force of the energy, and knocked unconscious. When I opened my eyes, I found that I had killed them. All of them, with only a thought. I hadn't defeated them because I was more skilled or stronger. I didn't understand what had happened."

Thryss stopped, shifting her gaze to meet his. The golden eyes looking down at her were enigmatic as he traced her lips with a black claw.

Sesshomaru digested what she told him. She had faced racism, isolation, and a crippling lack of experience when she had dealt with these cold people. Despite overwhelming odds, she had prevailed. He suspected this was one of many such stories, and that there was a lot she was leaving out. Talis set out to make their people into fearsome killers, and none were excluded from their efforts.

Authors Note: This chapter seemed to have no end. The proof reading took forever! Let me know if you liked it, I worked hard!

**Arizonabay – **I am so happy you don't hate Kephren anymore. :)

**Mistress Ayako –** Thanks. InuYasha was harder to do than I expected. Keeping reading, I am going to answer one of your questions in the next chapter. :)

**ColdHeartedVixen** – I haven't heard from you in a few chapters, I am glad you are still with me. You know, I had a horrible time figuring out who to match Kephren up with. I almost used Kagura, the wind witch, except that I never liked her very much. Sango might be a better choice than Kagome, but then it wouldn't irritate Sesshomaru nearly as much! :)


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24 Nightmare

The cool night air whispered softly across the face of the sleeping child, gently ruffling her hair. With a soft sigh, she snuggled deeper into the blankets, seeking protection from things unseen, save for in her dreams.

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Rin crouched behind a blue-grey shrub, tensely waiting for the others. It was only a matter of time before they found her. Fear gnawed at her, causing her breath to catch. When they found her, they would kill her.

Spurred on by desperation, she slowly crept from behind the shrub. She needed to find a better hiding place. Lord Sesshomaru would not come to her rescue this time. Grief tore at her, overwhelming in its intensity. The images of her lord falling to the ground then watching her helplessly as his life drained away, remained sharp and horribly clear. Her lord was gone forever, and this time when they came for her, she would die, too.

Rin sniffled softly, she didn't want to die. Scanning the wooded area, she quickly dismissed a dozen potential hiding places. They would expect her to hide like a frightened animal and they would find her too easily in this place. She wouldn't give them that satisfaction.

The blue light of the sun cast eerie shadows all around her. Afraid to move, Rin carefully studied the shadows to make sure that's all they were. Taking a deep breath, she darted out of her hiding place, heading for the mountain. There might be caves or ditches she could hide in. Ignoring the pain that had become a constant companion, she raced from the limited security of the trees into the open. She had to make it past the open area to reach the mountain.

Pressing a hand to her side, she felt a familiar, warm wet liquid that she knew was blood. She had been wounded repeatedly, evading what seemed like never ending attempts on her life. She had been injured so often that many of the wounds never fully healed. It was something of a miracle that she had survived as long as she had. From the first time they had seen her, there had been nothing but disgust in their merciless alien faces. She had been an outsider, one they did not consider worthy of living among them. She had tried to befriend them. She had tried everything she could think of, but the cold, calculating expression that had met her efforts terrified her. She didn't understand these people. Why had she be brought here, when all they wanted was to see her die?

Rin stifled a despairing sob as she ran, keeping low to the ground as she made for the mountain. She hadn't asked for this. Why hadn't they let her die with her lord? It would have been kinder than this nightmarish existence.

A shout made Rin's breath catch in her throat. Speeding up, not daring to look behind her, she sprinted in the direction of some large rocks where she might have a chance of hiding. A panicked sob rose in her throat at the sound of steps rapidly approaching. Unable to resist, she glanced back.

Slender and swift, the Talisian children easily closed the distance. They spoke rapidly to each other in a strange windy sounding language that Rin still couldn't understand. Three of the group broke away from the rest, moving to surround her.

Rin dug her heels into the ground, the peculiarly smooth sand allowing her to use her momentum to veer sideways. As she made the turn she almost fell. Scrabbling wildly, she pushed her self back up, barely avoiding the razor sharp staff that plunged into the ground where she had fallen. Glancing up, she met inhuman silver eyes. The unnaturally perfect features hardened in rage as the staff missed her. Pulling back to correct her mistake the Talisian, once again took aim. Galvanized into action, Rin grabbed the staff above the sharpened point, using the leverage to knock her attacker off balance. Taking advantage of the Talisian's momentary disorientation, Rin sped away putting some distance between her and the others.

Gasping for breath so hard she wheezed as she pulled air in, she spun around to face her attackers. She would have to fight. Rin gritted her teeth and struggled to control her breathing, regarding them through narrowed eyes. She couldn't win against them, but she resolved to take some of them with her. She had done nothing to deserve this, and she wasn't about to let them kill her without them paying a cost.

The Talisians gathered around her, the faint blue light of the sun reflecting of their coldly calculating features. The three closest to her had pale silvery blue skin, and highly reflective silver hair. These were female. It had taken Rin quite a while to figure out why some of them were blue, while others were black, not that it mattered, when it came to killing they were equally efficient.

Rin held her weapons awkwardly, the long deadly swords all but useless, due to her lack of skill. The child nearest smiled mockingly at her, and said something to the other two. Rin didn't know what they said, but there was no doubt of their intention. They intended her death to be slow.

In an explosion of speed the three came at her. Rin dove sideways to avoid the first spear, but was not quick enough to avoid the second or the third. Fiery burning pain ripped through her as the long sharpened point tore between her ribs, exiting her back and pinned her to the ground.

In a movement too rapid for Rin to follow the second three were on her. They carried the same sword-like weapon she had, only they wielded them with far more skill. Rin wanted to be strong, to face them with honor, like her lord would have, instead she screamed and cried piteously, pleading for mercy. She was afraid to die, but her desperate cries fell on deaf ears as they emotionlessly nailed her to the ground with their weapons. Rin felt the blood begin to pool beneath her. They gathered around, watching as her blood soaked the pale dust-like sand that covered the ground. They wanted to watch her die. Monsters.

Rin gasped for breath, fury replacing the anguish and terror. She wanted them to pay. She wanted them to pay with their lives. She felt something inside of her stir, a storm building within her, demanding release. Suddenly, power exploded from her. The immensely violent wave of energy tore her free of the swords and threw her back into the rocks she had been trying to reach. As she hit the rocks, everything went black.

Rin slowly opened her eyes, wondering why she was still alive. Sitting up, she brought a hand to gingerly touch her pounding head. Looking up, she froze.

Deep crevices had been carved into the ground, spreading out from her in all directions. The ground had an odd dark reddish color. Rin frowned, confused. The ground had been pale, she was sure of it. Struggling to her feet, she staggered forward following the jagged crack. Her foot bumped against something. As she looked down to see what had almost tripped her, she gasped in horror. In front of her toes was the torn remains of one of the Talisians. She couldn't tell which one, or even if it was male or female. The body had been shredded beyond recognition. Gagging, she tumbled backwards, losing her balance over another body. She landed on blood soaked sand. Lifting up a hand, bits of bloody carnage clung to her fingers. Reeling in shock, she scrubbed her hand violently against her shirt. Jerking her eyes away from her hand, she stared down the length of the cracked land. Everything was drenched in the blood of the Talisians. Bits and pieces hung from the rocks and brushes. The ground which had been a gleaming pale sand was now saturated with their blood. Larger chunks of meat gruesomely surrounded her. There was nothing left of them.

Rin began to shake uncontrollably. Shock and realization that she had been responsible for this atrocity made her whimper piteously, although she didn't scream or cry. She felt numb. She realized that she had killed them. All of them. She who hated to hurt things, yet she had ripped them apart. She stared around at the carnage with vacant, traumatized eyes. What had she done?

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Rin bolted upright in the bed. She wanted to scream, but all she could do was to stare at her hands, pale and free of blood in the dim light.

Raising her head, she saw Kephren perched at the edge of bed, a dark silent shadow. He said nothing as he watched her, just waited. Rin shuddered, trying to free herself from the dream, but she knew it wasn't a dream, it was what she had seen in Thryss's mind. A memory from Thryss's mind.

She just sat there staring at her hands, unable to do anything else. All the while her dark companion waited silently, watching over her.

Needing to feel something solid, she inched down the bed until she huddled in front of Kephren. She stared into his unreadable silver eyes, wanting answers, but afraid to ask. She wasn't sure she wanted to know.

He cocked his head questioningly at her, and sat down on the edge of the bed. Tentatively, Rin leaned forward, just resting her head against his shoulder. When her tentative touch was not rejected, she turned her head until her cheek was pressed against him. Slowly her whole body gravitated toward his warmth until her whole side was leaning against him. Staring blankly at the wall, her cheeks were wet with the silent tears that streamed from her eyes.

Kephren remained by her side until he was satisfied she would not reawaken. Deciding to investigate the area the demon had spoken of, he spared one last glance for the sleeping child before rising silently and exiting the room.

Moving swiftly through the dense forest he slipped among the trees, a graceful, deadly shadow. Seeing the trail of yellow the demon had described, he stopped in a nearby clearing, examining the area. Extending his arms out from his body, he reached out with his senses.

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Kagome cautiously made her way through the deepening shadows, regretting her decision to leave camp. She had left on the pretext of having to go the bathroom, but the truth was she just wanted to think.

InuYasha had made such a fuss over Sesshomaru's change of clothes, you would think the guy never changes. Why couldn't he accept the idea, that maybe, just maybe, his brother had more than one set of clothes?

As she pondered her friends stubbornness, a soft rustling drew her attention. "Inu Yasha?" she called softly, moving in the direction of the sound.

Creeping through the trees, she edged closer using the darkness to conceal her presence. Peering around the trunk of an ancient tree, Kagome froze, a breath hissing through her teeth.

Standing motionless in the small clearing, resembling a beautiful marble statue as the moonlight accentuated the elegant planes of his face, was Kephren.

Kagome inched forward to get a better look, probably not the best of ideas, considering he traveled with InuYasha's violent older brother. She had almost convinced herself that remaining here was a bad idea, when a sudden green flash stopped her in her tracks. A brilliant emerald light, shot up from under Kephren's feet, highlighting the unnaturally perfect planes of his face.

The light intensified, then seemed to shift, pulling in sharply, then rapidly spiraling out from the solitary figure. The light blurred, pulling inward as it formed an intricate, curving design which ran along the length of the spiral.

Opening his eyes, Kephren studied the design, the shining pattern reflected in his sliver eyes. Reaching out, he touched a part of the design, pulling it toward him and enlarging it. He repeated this several more times, before lowering his hands and sighing in what might have been exhaustion, as the light flickered then disappeared entirely.

The school girl stood motionless, her mouth slightly opened, staring speechlessly. Kephren's lips quirked slightly as he turned to look at the spot where she was hiding.

"You needn't admire me from a distance." He said in a voice that sounded like rushing wind.

There were probably a thousand more intelligent things that Kagome could have done instead of approaching the solitary figure standing in the clearing.

"What were you doing?" Kagome asked, hesitantly moving away from the trees.

Kephren cocked his head, regarding her out of enigmatic silver eyes.

"How did you summon that light?" She wondered. Stopping a few feet in front of him, just out of arms reach.

Instead of answering he closed the distance, stopping so close she could feel the heat coming off his skin, "Why did you seek me out?"

"Huh?" The school girl looked up at him with rounded eyes.

"You have been watching me for some time from the behind that tree." He said softly, bringing a dark hand up to catch a curling tendril of her hair. "What is it you want?" He queried, bringing his lips close to her ear.

"I wasn't looking for you. I just wanted to think." She stammered uneasily, far too aware of his proximity.

"Ah, then you desire to leave?" He murmured teasingly. "I am wounded."

Kagome knew she should run. She knew this was dangerous, but her feet remained planted firmly to the ground. Staring up into the inhuman silver eyes, "What are you doing to me?" she whispered.

"Nothing you haven't desired."

A cool breeze rustled though the dark forest, blowing the long silver hair away from his face. Kagome's eyes followed the gleaming strands in fascination, she had never seen anything like it. Before she could give any thought to her actions, she reached out to catch some of the long strands. Rubbing it between her fingers, she marveled at how smooth it was.

Feeling his eyes on her, Kagome started guiltily. "Sorry." she said, hastily letting go of his hair. When he didn't say anything, she hesitantly glanced up. He was regarding her curiously, his head tilted in an oddly bird-like gesture.

"Why do you apologize?" He inquired.

She shrugged sheepishly, "I wondered what your hair felt like. I grabbed it without asking if it was okay."

Kephren grinned, taking hold of her hands. "I have no objection to you touching me." he said, placing her hands on the long hair that hung over his shoulder.

"Oh, ...well..., that is..." Kagome stammered. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. She took a step back, only to find that he had slid his hands behind her, preventing her escape.

"Um...maybe this wasn't such a good idea. I mean you looked really busy, and here I am interrupting you. I should really get going." She rambled nervously, as she moved back against his arms.

He laughed softly, pulling her closer. Slipping a hand into her dark hair, he cupped the back of her head, studying her with interest. Bringing his opposite hand up to her face, he ran dark fingers over her delicate features. Lowering his head, he gently tracing her lips with his own.

The softly teasing caress thoroughly unnerved Kagome. The feel of his unnaturally smooth skin, making her disturbingly aware of their different races. "Whoa!" She shrieked, thrusting her hands out in front of her, pushing against his chest.

Wincing slightly at the high pitched sound, he looked down questioningly at the hands pressing against his chest..

"You can't just go kissing who ever you feel like, you know." She exclaimed, struggling futilely against his hold.

"Why not?" he asked honestly.

Kagome stopped struggling to stare at him with her mouth open. Kephren sighed, placing a finger under her chin, gently closing her mouth, "I know I am pretty, but surely isn't necessary to stare with you mouth open."

"Huh?" Her mouth once again falling open.

Kephren lifted an eyebrow, "I see this is going to be a ongoing problem. Ah well, even problems can be useful on occasion." he remarked easily.

Kagome was still looking at him open-mouthed, when he decided to take advantage of the situation. Lowering his head, he slipped his tongue into her still open mouth. Kagome's eyes went wide. Smooth, like his skin, and longer than a humans, Kephren's tongue wrapped around hers, sliding down it slowly as he sensuously played with her mouth.

Kagome mind went completely blank as she was hit by a tidal wave of sensation. Sensory overload, finally getting the better of her, she pulled back with a distressed little squeak. Falling down as he released her, Kagome scrambled to her feet, her breathing still far from normal, and took off into the woods without a backwards glance.

Kephren watched her gracelessly crash through the forest, shaking his head at her unusual response. From her reaction and dramatic exit, you would have thought he had threatened her. Amused and intrigued by the strange reaction of the human girl, he decided further investigation at a later date might prove entertaining. Turning away from the direction the girl had fled, he headed back toward the castle.

Authors Note: Hi everyone, I know, this chapter didn't have Sesshomaru in it, but I hope you liked it anyways. What did you think? Please review, and let me know.

**Mistress Ayako:** I think this chapter answered your question about what Rin saw in Thryss' memories. I hope I was descriptive enough. Oh, and don't worry, Sesshomaru will be back in the next chapter. :)

**Onis-g: **Thank you so much for the kind the review! You mentioned you don't review very often, so thank you for letting me know you have been enjoying the story. I was hesitant to write this. Although I like to read, I hadn't tried writing a story before, and quite honestly, I wasn't sure if I could. So, for a novice like me, your review means a lot. :)

**ArizonaBay: **Oh, my plot isn't done twisting yet. I like weird twists, as you can probably tell. Although I do hope to finish this up somewhere in the near future, after all, I have a sequel in mind, and yes, it will be weird too. :)

**ColdHeartedVixen: **You know, I was playing around with your idea and your right, there is some fun potential in the pairing. I already have this story line in place, but you might be onto something. Kephren and Sango, hmmmm. :)


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha.

Chapter 25: Searching

Thryss jerked bolt upright, gasping for breath. Bringing a hand to her face, she stared in bewilderment as it shook uncontrollably. What had brought on the nightmare? She couldn't remember the last time she dreamed about her early years on Talis. The paralyzing horror she had felt as a child had returned with a vengeance. The traumatic images of shredded bodies, gore dripping from her hands, and the knowledge that she was to blame, remained sharp and clear in her mind.

Feeling a coolness on her cheek, she reached up to find moisture. Involved in studying this unusual occurrence, Thryss started a the sound of the demon's voice.

"What did you see?" he inquired calmly.

"Old memories, I had thought forgotten."

Sitting up, he leaned in to inspect her face. Catching a tear on the tip of a black claw, he regarded it curiously. "Do you cry in your sleep often?"

"Cry?"

Sesshomaru held up the black claw that shined with the captured tear. Thryss looked at it blankly. Talisian children did not cry, and Thryss was Talisian.

The demon lord raised a pale eyebrow at her continued silence. Thryss met his gaze with one of confusion, "I do not know this word." she said.

An expression of disbelief crossed the demons elegant features, "Crying is a physical expression of sorrow."

Thryss frowned, "I do not cry."

Looking pointedly at the glistening black claw, "Hn." he said, the non-committal sound conveying his disbelief.

Thryss narrowed her eyes angrily at his insulting tone. Rising to her feet in one swift movement, she spun on her heel, moving toward the door, radiating offense.

Feeling the demon's hand on her shoulder, Thryss whirled around, hitting him with a psionic blast, watching out of cold dark eyes as he flew toward the wall.

Sesshomaru flipped around, easily landing on his feet. Regarding her out of narrowed eyes, he crouched with one hand resting on the floor. Remaining motionless, he considered her, his long hair laying on the ground by his feet.

Dressed only in a loin clothe, his tightly corded muscles distracted Thryss long enough for him to take her by surprise. In a movement to quick to follow, the demon sprang across the room, forcing her to the floor. Kneeling over her, he noted the anger still raging in her eyes.

Thryss hissed furiously, calling up her weapons. Her eyes went wide when the her armor decided not to heed her call. She stared at her hand dumbfounded, her armor had never failed her.

"What's wrong?" the demon's mocking inquiry only fueled her rage.

Snarling, she lashing out at him with a wave of energy, causing the demon's golden eyes to widen in surprise as it crackled harmlessly along his skin.

Sesshomaru watched the flames of anger flicker in her dark eyes. He could feel the suppressed violence begging for release, yet she was holding back. She probably didn't even realize it. "Interesting." he murmured.

She felt so fragile beneath his hands as he pinned her to the ground, but he knew the truth of the frighteningly powerful energy that coursed through her. He could feel it electrifying the air around him, it was intoxicating.

Taking hold of her hands, he stretched her arms above her head. Imprisoning both wrists in one hand, he tilted her chin up, meeting her eyes. She glared back at him fearlessly, her eyes glittering with rage.

A disgruntled expression flashed across the demon's face. Why couldn't she ever act like a normal female? Surely being at the mercy of a powerful demon, such as himself, warranted some degree of fear.

Lowering himself until he pinned her to the ground with his body, he tilted her head back further, giving him access to her lips. At touch of his mouth, she squirmed beneath him in annoyance. Deepening the kiss, he slid his tongue between her lips, sensuously teasing her until she stopped struggling.

Lifting his head, he noted in satisfaction that her eyes had darkened with something other than anger. Rolling to the side, he released her wrists, and reclined beside her.

As he ran his claws between her breasts, and down her stomach, her face took on a distinctly comical expression when her armor obligingly moved out of the way. He watched in amusement, curious to see if she would admit to herself that maybe it was not the armor who was giving the commands. From the irritation that crossed her face, he guessed not.

Grasping her shoulder, he flipped her over onto her stomach. Thryss twisted around, anger once again darkening her eyes, as he placed a hand on her back pushing her to the ground. Moving behind her, he knelt between her legs, feeling her stiffen in outrage at the dominant position.

Removing his hand from her back, he gripped her hips, pulling her up, so that her back rested against his chest. Sliding his hands up her ribs, he cupped her breasts, "Why do you fight me?" he whispered, his breath stirring a few strands of her hair.

Thryss growled in outrage at his presumption. If only her body would cooperate with her mind. She tried to pull away, only to find his grip was too strong for her to break. That was the problem with being a half-breed, she had plenty of psionic power, but physical strength was an entirely different matter. Far too aware of the amount of bare skin that was pressing up against her, she realized if she didn't put some distance between them, she wasn't going to be able to think much longer.

Sesshomaru lowered his head, trailing his tongue along her neck, savoring the soft texture of her skin. He felt her suck in a breath at the caress, leaning her head back against his shoulder as he slid his fangs down her throat.

He shifted slightly, so that she straddled him, while still facing forward. The change of position making her acutely aware of the fact that he no longer wore any clothing. As he slowly moved his hands along her body, she noted in disgust that her armor appeared to be ignoring her altogether as it absorbed into her skin. The fact that maybe her armor knew her desires better than she did, never even crossed her mind.

She stiffened slightly as she felt him harden behind her, letting her know in no uncertain terms what his intentions were. Sliding one hand down her stomach, her slipped his fingers between her legs. Thryss drew in a sharp breath, amazed at the sheer intensity of her reaction to his touch.

Positioning him self beneath her, he lowered his head, sinking his fangs into the base of her neck. Wrapping one hand around her ribs, while gripping her hip with the other, he slowly slid into her. Thryss bit her lip, as her body stretched to accommodate him. Demons were known to be well-endowed, and Sesshomaru more than most. He gradually began to move inside of her, giving her time to adjust to the intrusion.

Thryss hissed, and arched against him, leaving no doubt in his mind that she enjoyed the feel of his body. Releasing her neck, he tilted her head back to enter her mouth with his tongue, mimicking the movements of his body. Thryss was not a novice to pleasure, but this was different. The demon lord was aggressively dominant, so very different from the Talisian way of doing things. To her surprise she liked the way he had aggressively taken her. The minor pain of his fangs on her throat as he entered her. So different, but she could not imagine him any other way.

As she collapsed against him, Sesshomaru leaned forward, his long silver-white hair falling across her in a silken caress.

"How do manage to walk around and not trip over this?" she asked lazily, threading her fingers through the silky strands.

"Of all things to enter your mind, why am not surprised it is the length of my hair." He said dryly, picking her up and moving to the bed. Laying her down, he reclined beside her, propping himself up on one elbow to watch her.

"I thought that I wasn't worthy to touch you." Thryss said, raising a questioning eyebrow.

"That is true, but I have granted you the honor of enjoying my body tonight." he returned pompously.

Thryss opened and closed her mouth. Not finding words to address such arrogance she just shook her head. Demons.

Smirking slightly at his ability to silence her, the demon curled around her contentedly, "Go to sleep, there is much to do tomorrow."

Thryss relaxed against him, his breath gently stirring her hair. A unfamiliar feeling of security settled over her as she laid comfortably in his arms. Sighing slightly, she examined the pale features, lingering on the crescent moon. She didn't belong to this world, she shouldn't feel at ease. It was dangerous. She buried her face in his naked shoulder, knowing she shouldn't enjoy the feel of his rippling muscles as he tightened his arm around her.

If they failed, she would lose him. Thryss closed her eyes. She would die before she allowed that to happen. She couldn't bear it a second time.

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Thryss woke to find herself smashed against the demon's chest. Wriggling a bit, she glanced up at his sleeping face. The long silvery-white hair fell back, exposing one gracefully pointed ear. She smiled a little to herself, even in sleep he managed to look conceited. As her eyes roamed over his features, slit-pupiled golden eyes opened slowly, quietly returning her gaze.

She absently noticed that he smelled like winter; crisp, clean, and cold. Most people would not have found that very comforting, but then Thryss wasn't most people. Locking eyes with him, she watched as the gold of his eyes began to glow. This time when his hand slid along her back she sighed softly, enjoying the sensation. Lowering his head, he caught her lips with his, exploring them languidly. Sliding the hand back down, he hooked his fingers under her knee, draping her leg over his hip. Cupping her buttock with a black clawed hand, he slowly slid inside her. There was no aggression this time, just languid sensuality as he teasingly trailed his claws along her exposed flesh. She moaned softly, begging for release from the erotic torment. To her dismay, release did not come for some time, but when it did, it left her exhausted, and satisfied.

Sesshomaru watched as Thryss finally fell into a contented sleep. The demon lord was puzzled by his desire for her. He had _never_ desired a human before. He frowned, tilting his head thoughtfully, heavy pale hair falling forward to spill over the slight figure that lay so trustingly in his arms. It was odd that he hadn't felt the need to aggressively assert his dominance this last time. Mating was an act of dominance for his kind, but the second time had been different. He had not felt the need to be aggressive, and had enjoyed it immensely. Truth be told, he had never enjoyed anyone to such a degree.

Laying down beside her, he drew her deceptively fragile body close, breathing in the light fragrance that clung to her. Like a flower in moonlight, the scent was faint, and beguiling. Sesshomaru had found something rare, and irreplaceable in this strange alternate version of the only human whose company he had ever desired. He wasn't about to let her go. Kephren would not be happy. The demon fell asleep, a small unaccustomed smile curving his lips.

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"Lord Sesshomaru?" Jaken's grating screech, made the demon flinch involuntarily. Opening one eye, he glared balefully at the toad.

Striding into the room, Jaken stopped, his eyes bulging in astonishment. His lord, was _holding _the human woman. Too stunned to do more than gawk, the toad stood rooted to the ground, struck speechless by a sight he had thought impossible. That is until he saw the look his lord was giving him. As self preservation kicked in, the toad bowed deeply, begging his lord's pardon as he back-pedaled rapidly, exiting the room as fast as stubby legs would carry him.

Jaken fidgeted nervously as he waited for the others to join him. As his lord entered the courtyard, the toad noted that the human female was walking disrespectfully close to his lord, a fact that should have insulted the powerful demon. Jaken watched them with a puzzled expression; what had happened to bring about such a change? The toad's musing was brought to an abrupt and unpleasant halt by his lord's words.

"Jaken, Rin and the creature will travel with you on AhUn." Sesshomaru said shortly. Summoning his energy cloud, he extended a hand to Thryss, as Rin and Kephren came into view.

Jaken glanced uneasily at the creature; things never went well for him when Kephren was around.

"Come, we are to travel together." Kephren said cheerfully, turning his attention to the unhappy toad. He grinned, seeing Jaken's dismay. Lifting his nose, he lightly sniffed the air. "Tell me, have you bathed since the last time we assisted you?" Kephren asked with an innocent expression.

"My Lord, please do not me make travel with it." Jaken whimpered, memories of soap horrifying his mind.

The demon lord not did deign to reply as he lifted off the ground, heading toward the trail of yellow he had seen in the trees.

Walking over to the toad, Kephren smirked wickedly. Before Jaken could retreat, Kephren plucked him off the ground, moving toward the dragon. "What are you doing? Put me down this instant!" The toad squawked indignantly.

Plopping the toad on AhUn's back, Kephren vaulted up behind him, and then reached down to pick up the child, placing her in front of him.

"Master Jaken, he is just being nice." Rin reassured him.

"Hah, nice? Foolish child, that just shows how much you truly understand." The toad cried, inching away from the Talisian.

"I believe we should bathe upon our return. _Master Jaken_ has gathered quite a smell while we were gone." Kephren remarked impishly, grinning as the toad turned to stare at him out of eyes that nearly bulged from their sockets.

Jaken regarded the creature in abject horror. Not again! It was too cruel. He had just started to build up his secretions again. Lost in his own private nightmare, the toad sat in sullen silence as they took to the air.

Sesshomaru circled the mountains where he had seen the thread of yellow woven through the foliage. Frowning, he passed over the same area several times; the pattern that had caught his eye was nowhere to be seen.

Looking over his arm, Thryss searched the passing landscape, "I don't see anything. This is where you saw it?" she asked, glancing up.

The demon nodded shortly. "Jaken, take the northern region, signal if you see anything." Sesshomaru instructed his retainer, oblivious to the boredom that had descended over Kephren.

"Wait demon, I will come with you." Kephren said, leaping off the dragon's back, his armor unfurling into gigantic black wings. Gliding over, he drifted beside the demon, just out of arms reach.

Thryss hid a smile at the look that crossed Sesshomaru's face as her companion joined them.

"I did not request your presence." The demon lord said icily.

Drifting closer, Kephren gave the demon what passed for a despondent look, "But I came to help!"

"There will never come a day when I require assistance from you."

"But I want to come with you." The Talisian persisted, drifting around to hover in front of them.

The demon gave him an incredulous look, "No." Sesshomaru watched in disbelief as the creature actually _pouted_.

"I want to go with you." Kephren announced.

"No."

Half an hour later, the Talisian still glided along beside them, smiling happily at the demon who was contemplated the most efficient way to end his annoying existence.

"I still don't see anything." Thryss said, scanning the ground.

Sesshomaru sighed and circled back around, "Neither do I; let us rejoin the others, perhaps they have had more success."

The demon hissed in frustration as Jaken informed him he hadn't had success either. Casting his eyes over the mountainous region, Sesshomaru silently conceded defeat. "We will return to the castle." he decided, changing directions and starting back.

Kephren glided back to AhUn. Settling behind Rin, he leaned around her, grinning widely at the toad. Jaken's eyes bulged as chills ran down his back. Slowly glancing over his shoulder; he found the creature was smiling at him. Why was it smiling at him? Jaken couldn't restrain the involuntary shudder that ran down his spine.

An unwarranted feeling of relief irritated the demon as he watched Kephren direct his attention at the toad. Turning resolutely away—he would not let that _thing _get to him—he transferred his gaze toward the castle, then froze. From this direction he could see it; the pattern so similar to Rin's drawing. Without warning, he began to descend rapidly.

Knocked off balance by the sudden change in direction, Thryss fell back against the demon. "What is it?" she asked.

"There, do see it?" steadying her with his arm, he indicated the trees below.

Following his hand, her eyes widened as she saw the pattern in the trees.

As they approached the thread of yellow winding its way through the forest, Sesshomaru landed just outside the tree line. Focusing on the trees with bright yellow leaves, he walked over slowly as he concentrated on the aura that surrounded the forest.

Thryss waited for Kephren to join her, before following the demon.

"Enjoying the natives?" Kephren inquired.

"As are you." Thryss returned.

Kephren gave her a wide-eyed silver stare. "Then you are losing interest in your toy?' he asked hopefully.

Thryss snorted, shaking her head. "I might ask to the same of you."

"My toy is just that. A toy." he said seriously, "What will you do if we cannot stop the attack?"

When she didn't answer, Kephren placed a hand on her arm, stopping her, "You may not be able to save him, and you cannot take him with us. He is different. He would not fare well on another world."

Thryss looked up, meeting the silver gaze, "I won't lose him again." she said simply.

"Then you will die with him." he said flatly.

"Then I die." She replied evenly.

Kephren lowered his eyes, contemplating the ground, "I knew I would regret this." he sighed dramatically.

Thryss looked at him curiously.

"Against my better judgment, I will assist the arrogant fool." he said with a sigh. Transferring his gaze to the demon, Kephen raised an eyebrow as Sesshomaru stopped, standing motionless among the trees. "Although," he said, watching the demon lord's inexplicable behavior, "you realize, even my skills have limits."

Thryss' lips quirked at that which passed for self-sacrifice in her companion. Despite his obvious reluctance he would not leave them at the mercy of Talis; she suspected he had grown rather fond of them all.

"It we fail, what of my younger self?" she asked, knowing full well what he would say.

The Talisian's eyes fell on the child, "I will not allow her to be harmed."

"Not exactly the attitude I would have expected from a Talisian Destroyer."

Kephren shrugged, "She has power, but no control. It would be a waste to leave her in the demon's inept hands."

"It truly is a wonder how you function with that ego of yours." she said in amusement, starting after the demon.

"What ego?" Kephren called after her retreating back.

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"What are you doing?" came the annoying query.

Sesshomaru ignored the interruption, focusing his senses. Perhaps if he ignored it, it would go away.

"He is falling asleep." Kephren decided when he saw the demon's closed eyes. He sighed in resignation, "If he falls over, I am going to leave him here."

Sesshomaru gritted his teeth, he would not allow this insignificant pest to distract him. Unfortunately the demon found this difficult to maintain when the demon came to hover over him.

"Tell me demon, what exactly are you doing?" he asked, watching in amusement as Sesshomaru took a deep breath, striving vainly to block him out.

The demon lord's eyes snapped open, as a black finger prodded him. "Ah good, your awake." Kephren said, delighted to have induced the murderous look the demon was now leveling at him. "If you are sufficiently rested, we should get going." he said in satisfaction.

Lightening fast, gleaming black claws rushed at his throat. "So predictable." The Talisian said, easily evading the deadly claws. Turning away, indifferent to the rage that emanated from the powerful demon lord, Kephren moved in the direction of an ancient tree that sat apart from the forest.

"Stop tormenting him." Thryss instructed Kephren as he passed her. Meeting her eyes, he gave her an aggrieved look, "I have done as you asked and not killed him. You never said I couldn't play with him."

Thryss sighed in resignation; there was a limit to how much Kephren would do, even for her. It looked like he drew the line at the demon's sanity. "Very well, at least give him a rest. Go terrify the toad." Kephren gave her a grin, but obliged her and headed off to torment the toad.

Thryss noticed that the demon once again stood motionless with his eyes closed. She moved over to stand in front of him, "What are you doing?"

The demon sighed in irritation. Why couldn't they show even the smallest amount of respect? Opening his eyes, he gave her haughty look, which she totally ignored.

"I am examining the aura." he answered, when she continued to watch him expectantly. Seeing her blank expression, he explained, "All things have an aura, I am looking for anything out of place."

"Have you found anything?"

He frowned, as if something had just occurred to him. "It's not what I have found, but what I haven't found."

Thryss' face twisted in confusion.

"There is a lack of aura here." he verbalized his realization.

"A lack of aura?" she echoed.

Sesshomaru nodded absently as he scanned the area. Turning deeper into the woods, he focused on the absence of energy as he moved slowly through the trees.

"Now, what is he doing?" Kephren asked, having gotten bored with the toad.

Thryss shook her head as the demon's odd behavior, "He says there is a lack of aura."

"So, he is following nothing? How very like him." He grinned to himself, silver eyes brightening with interest.

Thryss felt a slight pang of sympathy for Sesshomaru as her companion took off in pursuit of him. \

"Tell me, demon, how does one follow nothing?" Kephren inquired, his smile widening at the sudden stiffness in the demon's posture.

"Go away."

"But I wish to follow _nothing_ with you." he explained, hovering over Sesshomaru.

"Isn't there someone else you can bother?" The demon sighed in exasperation, trying unsuccessfully to concentrate.

"You are the only one I know who follows a lack of aura. I am curious as to what we might discover at the end of this _lack of aura_." Kephren cajoled, enjoying the irritation that was emanating from the demon.

Sesshomaru obstinately tried to shut out the incessant talking of the creature. Searching for where this unusual lack of energy was coming from, was no easy task considering the way Kephren hovered about, asking a continual string of questions. The demon lord spent a few pleasant moments assuring himself that there must be _some_ way to kill this thing. Nothing as annoying as Kephren should continue to exist.

As Sesshomaru mulled over various ways he could possibly kill the Talisian, he suddenly realized where the emptiness was coming from. Abruptly turning his back on the creature, Sesshomaru walked toward the mouths of a series of caves that ran deep into the mountain. Stopping approximately centered on them, his eyes roamed across the expanse where the caves were. It was coming from somewhere within the caves, but there were so many. He was finding it impossible to identify a specific one it was coming from.

Thryss came up beside him, with the others close behind, "You have found something?" she asked, reaching his side.

The demon said nothing as he studied the seemingly endless caves.

Stopping in front of a spill of rocks, Kephren turned and motioned for them to join him. "Over here." he said drawing their attention as he placed a dark hand against one of the largest boulders.

Curious to see what had caught her companion's attention, Thryss walked over to join him.

"I don't see anything." she said glancing near his hand and then upward along the height of the rock.

"Look closer." he instructed her. "Can't you see it?" he asked curiously. The contrast of colors had immediately caught his attention. He wondered if she saw things differently than he did, after all, she was not a full blood.

Thryss looked closely at the stone, then blinked in surprise. There was something like a vein of lighter colored rock running over the surface of the rock at about eye level. "What is it?"

"A marker." Kephren answered.

Rin skipped over, standing between Thryss and Kephren. "Oh, somebody drew on the stone." She exclaimed, reaching up to run a small finger along the lines of the pattern. She glanced up at Kephren with a smile. Resting a hand on her head, he nodded in approval.

As Sesshomaru and Jaken joined them at the boulder, they stared intently at its surface wondering what had caught the creature's attention.

"There is nothing there, my lord." Jaken informed the demon, as he gave Kephren a superior look. "The creature is seeing things."

Sesshomaru said nothing as he continued to inspect the surface. Leaning closer, he finally saw it; a faint variation in color, the lighter lines contrasted with the rest of the surface. How had Kephren seen it so easily? Demons had exceptional eyesight, but if he hadn't been looking for it, he never would have seen it.

"It's indicating that one." Kephren pointed, moving in the direction of one of the cave. Reaching the mouth, he turned, waiting for them.

Rin trotted over, then stopped a few feet away from Kephren, an uneasy feeling settling over her as she stared into the cave's dark interior.

Authors Note: Whew, this chapter was hard. How did you like it? Readers beware; the inner-nerd is resurfacing in the next chapter.

**ArizonBay**: lol...I am afraid when Kephren gets bored, it never bodes well for those around him.

**ColdHeartedVixen**: Kephren would love for you to start his fanclub!

**Mistress Ayako:** Are you going to join Kephren's fanclub? He is entirely in agreement with Vixen. Don't worry about Thryss or Rin, I have plans.

**Rin14: **You read for 5 straight hours? Wow. I am so glad you like the story, hope you stay with me.


	26. Chapter 26

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha

Chapter 26 The Caverns

Staring into the darkness, an uneasy chill settled over Rin. She shuddered involuntarily, slowly approaching Kephen, who stood waiting at the mouth of the cave.

"Come." he said, extending a hand. Rin closed the distance between them, taking the proffered hand. Her attention momentarily diverted as his inhumanly smooth fingers closed over hers. Looking up at him with big eyes, she realized that she felt inexplicably safe in his presence. Smiling at his curious expression, she followed him into the cave, holding his hand tightly.

Sesshomaru found that the energy in the cave was indeed weaker. It wasn't that he didn't want to find the source, but why did it have to be the creature that showed them the way he wondered in disgust. There was little doubt that Kephren would use the first opportunity to rub it in, the demon grumbled to himself.

Stopping at a juncture in the caves, Kephren moved to the wall closest to him, placing a dark hand against the uneven stone. "This way." he informed them.

Coming to stand beside him, Thryss frowned at the dimly lit stone, "Do you see something?" she asked.

Kephren nodded, his hand resting along the wall, pointing out a marker that matched the one they had seen outside the cave. "It's the same."

"I can barely see it." Thryss said, squinting at the wall.

"That is because you are not a full blood." he told her.

Thryss shot him an inquiring look.

"My eyes are more sensitive to certain color ranges than yours, the marker's been done in colors meant for Talisian vision."

A soft current of air brushed across Thryss as the demon moved next to her. Stopping beside her, he silently contemplated the nearly invisible marker. Lifting a black clawed hand to the wall, he lightly ran his fingers across the stone. Thryss glanced up, her head close to his. He was so close they were almost touching, but he gave no indication that he was aware of their proximity.

"We follow the creature." He announced straightening, ignoring the smile spreading across Kephren's face.

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As they moved deeper into the cavern, the passages narrowed, requiring the tall demon to walk with his upper body inclined forward to avoid hitting his head. The dampness that had been present upon entering the cave, now showed in drops on the walls and dripped off stalactites that hung suspended from the ceiling, forming small puddles to collect on the ground. The Moisture that clung to the walls, made the rock shine eerily as they passed. The demon sourly watched the Talisian as he led their group. A faint blue glow illuminated the air around them, the same way it had on Talis.

Kephren, Sesshomaru realized, had the ability to illuminate the surrounding air. Not sure whether to be exasperated or amused by this strange ability, the demon followed the strange creature, wondering what other interesting abilities it possessed.

"My lord," Jaken said in a subdued voice, "how far down are we going?"

Sesshomaru glanced at the toad, not bothering to answer.

"Perhaps it would be best if young Rin and I were to wait outside the cave." the toad continued, not at all comfortable in the damp, dark caverns.

"You will remain with us." The demon said coldly, silencing the toad.

"Yes, my lord." Jaken said in a small voice.

Kephren paused as they emerged from the narrow passage.

"Why did you stop?" Rin said, her voice echoing off the rock walls.

"We need to find another way." he answered, brightening the air in front of him.

Rin gasped, backing up quickly until she bumped into the demon lord's legs. Kephren stood on the edge of a precipice where the floor abruptly ended. Looking down the Talisian could see nothing, save total darkness. Casting his gaze across the clearing, he could see where the cave continued on the other side. Massive Stalactites suspended from the ceiling, disappeared into the dark abyss that lay in front of him, the soft blue light highlighting the subterranean beauty.

"Can you make it across?" Kephren inquired, turning to Sesshomaru. "I can take the child, but you will need to bring the toad." he said, wrinkling his nose as his attention landed on the toad in question.

The demon's golden gaze alighted on the toad, "Jaken, return to the castle; we will be in need of refreshment upon our return, see that things are ready." The demon said moving over to Thryss.

"Yes, my lord." The toad bowed deeply, relief evident in his voice as he prepared to obey that order with all due speed.

Nodding to Kephren, the demon hooked an arm around Thryss, who immediately complained, "What do think you are doing?"

Not answering, the demon secured her against him and leaped across the opening, using the stalactites to propel himself to the other side of the cavern.

"Come here." Kephren commanded the child. Rin stared into the darkness, trepidation replacing her earlier uneasiness.

When the child failed to heed his command, Kephren raised a questioning eyebrow and knelt in front of her, "What do you sense?" he inquired, meeting her eyes.

"I don't like this place."

"You fear the darkness?" he suggested.

Rin shook her head, "Something feels wrong." she said, gnawing on her lower lip.

The Talisian cocked his head, considering her, "What do you feel?" he asked curiously.

"I don't know, it's like when a ghost brushes against you and you can feel the coldness of death." Rin shrugged, not knowing how to describe it.

Kephren didn't understand, but he knew the child had a connection to Talis, "Come, you will remain close to me."

She wrapped her arms around his neck, still peering into the darkness uneasily. Tightening his arm around her waist, Kephren stood up, and stepped to the edge of the precipice. Rin took a deep breath and closed her eyes and buried her face against his neck. Kephren pushed off the edge, launching into the darkness.

Alighting on the other side, Kephren landed beside Sesshomaru, placing Rin back on the ground. The child maintained her grip on his hand. The Talisian looked down inquiringly to find that her gaze was not on him, but the inky blackness that lay in front of them. Curling his fingers around her small ones, he drew her attention away from the unknown.

Surveying the surrounding walls, Kephren entered the cave to their left. They had not gone more than a hundred yards when they heard a scraping sound coming from in front of them. Pushing the child behind him, Kephren stepped forward, with Thryss and Sesshomaru close behind.

The demon lord frowned, listening intently to the scraping that was rapidly approaching. They stood ready, waiting for the unseen foe. The sound stopped suddenly. A deep, monstrous growl shuddered along the cave walls, reverberating through the cavern. A flash of fangs was all they could see as the monster launched toward them out of the darkness.

Sesshomaru's weight shifted back in preparation as he drew his sword. The blade hissed out of the scabbard as he anticipated the mysterious attacker. The demon's eyes narrowed in surprise. The blade of his sword had turned a gleaming black. Obsidian flames licked along the blades wickedly sharp edge. Lifting the sword, he whipped it through the air in a wide arc, intending to send out a wave of destructive energy.

Icy black fire plumed from the sword. Everything the flames touch—the walls, the floor, the ceiling, and their unseen attacker—was instantaneously crystallized. The demon sucked in a surprised breath.

The sound of Kephren gasping in shock, pulled the demon from his reverie. "Do you know what this is?" the demon inquired.

"Black fire." The Talisian whispered.

Sesshomaru started at the undisguised shock on Kephren's face. What was this thing that so unnerved the usually unflappable Talisian? His curiosity was going to have to wait though as several more growls emanated from the tunnels.

Kephren attacked the ones closest to him in a movement too fast too follow. The demon watched with interest as the Talisian, quickly and effectively ended the life of everything surrounding him. It was quite possibly the most lethal demonstration the demon had ever seen.

The sharp sound of clashing metal drew Sessomaru's attention. Turning, he saw Thryss attack. The demon's golden eyes widened. He had expected Kephren to be impressive to watch, but aside from the attack on the village, he had never seen Thryss fight. Graceful, and deadly, she expertly altered her weapons mid-strike to inflict the most damage on the closest combatant. Oblivious to any outside distraction, she whirled about, shifting the weapons once more to confront the newest attacker. In the darkness, all Sesshomaru could make out was the gleam of razor sharp teeth, and glowing red eyes that watched them voraciously. The minimal light was an ineffective aid to the beasts as Thryss focused on them, dispatching them with the same lethal ease as her companion had. The beast that attacked them never had a chance. Seeing the Talisians in action, made him view them in a whole different light. Thryss had said they were destroyers, but he had needed to see them in battle to truly understand. Killing was as simple as breathing to them. The demon found himself somewhat unnerved by the effortlessness of their victory.

Kephren crouched by one of the fallen beasts, examining the creature. It was almost twice his size, with a mouth full of razor sharp teeth. Its hide was rough, reminding him of the surrounding rocks.

"Do you recognize this thing demon?" Kephren inquired, not looking up.

Sesshomaru moved to the side of the beast, "It resembles a troll, but I do not believe it is one." he said thoughtfully, his eyes slowly moving over it.

At the sound of Rin's gasp. They looked over to find her staring at vines that had been carved out of the rock. Sesshomaru walked over to the child, taking a close look at the vine, a feeling of dread settling in his stomach. It was the same carving he had seen on Talis, the one that Rin had been entangled in.

Not taking his eyes from the carving, he felt Thryss and Kephren come to stand beside him. Reaching out Kephren ran a finger along the vine. Green lights flickered softly where his finger had touched. Pulling his hand back, he staring into the black depths of the cavern.

"We are going the right way." Kephren concluded, his eyes following the stone carving. Glancing down, his attention was caught by Rin's blank gaze, he crouched in front of her, watching her silently.

Rin's eyes moved to the Talisian who crouched in front of her. Lifting a shivering hand, she ran a finger across his cheek. Bringing the hand up to her eyes, she stared transfixed at the gore now dripping from her fingers. Meeting the silver gaze, she swallowed nervously, "You killed them?"

Kephren nodded, tilting his head curiously, "You are pleased?" he inquired.

Rin shook her head, "I don't like to hurt things, but they were going to kill us weren't they?"

"That was their intention." Kephren agreed.

Rin lifted her gaze to meet the golden eyes of her lord, "Please, don't let them take me again." she whispered.

**Authors Note:** The inner-nerd is back! As always, let me know what you thought of this chapter, I love getting reviews!

**Kephren Fun Facts:** Kephren's eyes, having no pupils to filter light like ours do, can see a far greater contrast in color, which accounts for his dislike of Sesshomaru's colorful palace. He finds it uncomfortable to look at! His favorite color is black, of course, like his skin. If case you haven't noticed, Kephren is quite vain.

**Mistress Ayako:** Shhh, Kephren says he won't tell Sesshomaru. Hmm, for some reason I don't believe him.

**ColdHeartedVixon: **Kephren, vain creature that he is, says that black would make a suitable shrine. As for the clothes, he was quite bent out of shape that your clothes might take priority over his shrine. I am afraid there is no reasoning with Talisians.


	27. Chapter 27

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha

Chapter 27: Descent

Rin stared wide-eyed at the stone vine carved along the cavern wall. Why, she wondered, did she have such a feeling of dread concerning what was just a carving—a rather pretty one even? The incident with the vines had been explained to her, and she knew her older self had healed her. But why couldn't she remember anything about what happened between the time she was taken till Thryss healed her?

Rin sighed, a strange melancholy settling over her. She had a really bad feeling, but there was no rational reason behind it. Glancing up, she met Kephren's silver gaze. Plastering on a big cheery smile, she took his hand, implying that all was well. The Talisian raised a silver brow at her sudden change of expression, but said nothing as they headed in the direction of the vine.

The vine snaked along the cavern, illuminated by Kephren's blue light. Unlike Talis, this carving did not glitter unless you touched it. Curious as to whether it was the Talisian or the vine that generated the light, Sesshomaru reached out and touched it experimentally.

"What is this?" Sesshomaru jerked his hand back in surprise. At his touch the vine had not only sparked with green light, but had pulsed, then separated from the wall slithering across his hand.

Kephren turned at the demon's exclamation. Retracing his steps back to the demon, Kephren followed the demon's eyes to the vine. Leaning closer to the wall, the Talisan studied the vine intently. When the carving remained silent, and motionless on the wall, the Talisian cocked a questioning eyebrow at the demon.

"This is different from what I saw on Talis." The demon informed him.

"Oh?"

"The one on Talis was stationary." the demon said shortly.

Extending a hand, Kephren ran slender black fingers along the curving tendrils. Green lights flickered briefly, then died out. Cocking his head, he regarded the demon, "You are sure it moved?" he inquired doubtfully.

Sesshomaru inclined his headed, narrowing his golden eyes at the skeptical look the creature was giving him.

"Perhaps it only favors you." Kephren suggested, once again tracing the vine's sinuous length with his finger. "It does not move for me."

"Do not mock me." Sesshomaru growled warningly, only to see what looked suspiciously like mirth in the Talisian's silver gaze.

"Mock you? I merely made an observation. Was I incorrect?" he inquired innocently.

Sesshomaru growled low in his throat, resisting the urge to throttle the disrespectful thing. "Observe." he snarled, laying a hand on the vine.

Kephren waited expectantly. Nothing happened. Raising his eyes to the demon, "Should I turn around? Maybe it is shy." he suggested, delighted at the murderous look that had returned to the demon's eyes.

The demon drew in a hissing breath, closing his eyes as he tried to block out the creatures irritating face. Feeling his control returning he slowly opened his eyes. Kephren stood on tip toe, nose to nose with him, watching intently. "Tell me demon, how long have you had this problem of falling asleep while standing?"

Sesshomaru snarled, lashing out with gleaming black claws. Kephren easily deflected the blow. Shaking his head pityingly, Kephren turned away dismissively, and started down the tunnel.

Sesshomaru eventually started after him, diverting himself with pleasant thoughts of disemboweling the creature. Feeling eyes on him, the demon glanced down, to find Thryss looking at him thoughtfully.

"Not you, too." he muttered in exasperation.

"I did not see it move either." She said simply.

"Nevertheless, it moved." he snapped.

Thryss transferred her gaze to the wall, her eyes following the length of the vine as it disappeared into the darkness of the cave.

As they traveled deeper into the caverns, the vine gradually thickened, bulging from the wall. The dampness of the cavern grew heavier, collecting along the vine, creating little streams as the droplets slid down the wall. Rin shivered, the dampness working its way through the new kimono her lord had provided for her. She wished she could have worn the clothing Kephren had given her on Talis, it was much warmer than the silk of the kimono, but for some reason her lord as taken a dislike to the Talisian clothes.

Trotting to catch up with the Kephren, Rin wrapped her arms around herself, shivering as she fell into step beside him.

Glancing down, "You are cold?" he inquired, his silver hair sliding over his shoulder as he tilted his head to look at her.

Rin nodded, her teeth starting to chatter.

Kephren's silver eyes rested on her for a moment before he leaned down and picked her up. Rin squeaked a little in surprise as he settled her against his hip. The child's eyes went wide as warmth seeped into her body. Encircling his neck with her small arms, she asked curiously, "How are you doing that?"

"Doing what?"

"Its like I am sitting next to the campfire."

"Ah, it is accomplished in the same manner as the air is illuminated." He answered.

She giggled.

Kephren looked down at her curiously.

Rin grinned, still giggling, "You are the weirdest person I have ever met."

"I am not a person." the Talisian answered, wondering what had amused her so much.

"For which the human race will be eternally grateful." came the demon's dead-pan reply.

"You are just jealous."

"Of what?" the demon snorted.

"You cannot generate heat or light. Without my aid, you would not be able to navigate these caverns. Unless, of course, you asked the vine. It does seem to like you. Perhaps it might assist you, if you were a bit nicer to it." Kephren advised.

Sesshomaru was preparing a comeback when the tunnel veered off into two directions. He frowned as he noticed that the vines continued down both passageways. Turning to the Talisian, "Can you sense which direction it is coming from?"

"I believe we were following _nothing_. I am now to determine from which direction is the higher degree of nothing?" Kephren returned.

Sesshomaru gritted his teeth; the creature correct in his assessment that they should follow his superior demonic senses, yet he had a childish desire to let the creature wander aimlessly through the caverns until he apologized properly. Of course none of this showed on the demon's stoic features, as he indicted the tunnel with less energy.

Kephren grinned happily, making Sesshomaru grind his teeth together once more at the obvious delight the creature was taking in his discomfiture. The demon's anger was slowly replaced by a self-deprecating humor; even InuYasha, at his worst, couldn't compare to Kephren when it came to the art of being annoying. Snorting a little at how easily the creature was able to raise his ire, Sesshomaru let go of his anger and followed along behind, wondering at this odd acceptance he was experiencing.

The rocky passage narrowed as it wound through the mountain. Jagged rocks protruded from the walls, catching their clothing as they navigated the uneven tunnel. Rounding a sharp bend, they could see a soft green light coming from in front of them.

Kephren reached the end of the tunnel first. He stood at the cave's exit, staring speechlessly. Curious to see what had silenced her companion, Thryss peered around him and gasped in surprise.

Even with his added height, Sesshomaru was far enough behind them that he could not see what had captured their attention. Moving closer, taking care to avoid any physical contact with the creature, he followed their line of vision.

Colossal spires towered above them rising a thousand feet into the air, disappearing into the darkness of the cavern's vast ceiling. Emerald light glittered along the vines that crawled along the smooth spiraling surface, casting eerie shadows against the unnatural beauty of the structure.

The graceful spiral of the towers were cracking and crumbling in places. The dust and debris of past millenniums collected along the spirals, dimming the soft light, causing twisted shadows to writhe against the caverns walls. Unlike what was on Talis, this had fallen into ruins long ago. Everywhere he looked, the fantastic shapes were marred by the passage of time. A lost civilization that had been long forgotten, whose only evidence of existence lay in this crumbling and abandoned structure.

The vines that had been carved into the caves covered the building, almost obscuring its alien beauty. It reminded the demon of an ancient temple lost in the forest, taken over by the thick green vines of the land.

Sesshomaru frowned as he studied the vines engulfing the building. They were carved out of stone, like the ones in the tunnel, but they obviously were not part of the original structure.

"A citadel. Here on this world." Thryss whispered incredulously, drawing the demon from his reverie.

"What we seek may lay inside." Kephren said, moving to the edge of the cave. Looking down he noted they were a considerable distance from the bottom of the cavern. An unwary traveler could have easily fallen to their death.

Rin sat frozen in place as she gawked at the enormous towers in front of her. Kephren still held her, and she started when he moved to the edge of the cave. It was a _long _way down. Rin gulped uneasily, peeking up at the Talisian, she wondered how they were going to get down. She didn't have to wait long. Snapping out his hand, Kephren's armor formed a thin flexible disk that he stepped onto.

"What is that?" Rin's voice came out thin and shaky.

"We will glide to the bottom, it will be quicker." Kephren informed her as the thin disk lifted them off the floor.

"Glide?" That didn't safe at all, Rin thought.

Kephren turned his silver gaze on her, grinning widely, which only made Rin more nervous. The disk drifted to the edge then slipped over.

Rin's blood-curdling scream echoed off the cavern as they almost free-fell from the cave. After an extremely unsettling first few seconds, Rin realized she wasn't going to die. Glancing up, Kephren met her eyes with a pained look.

"Why did you make that awful sound?" He demanded.

"I was scared." She exclaimed huffly.

Kephren's perfect features twisted in confusion, "Afraid of what?" His ears were still ringing.

"Afraid of what? You jumped of a cliff!" The child's eyes shone with outrage.

Shaking his head in disbelief, "You thought I would drop you?"

"Um, well no. It was just scary." Rin explained.

Kephren gave her a mystified look, having no understanding of her need to express fear in such a way. He seemed to find human behavior decidedly odd.

They landed on the floor of the cavern, just outside the citadel's elegantly arched entrance. Thryss and Seshomaru alighted beside them, looking in wonder at the ancient building.

A high-pitched screech pierced the stillness, followed by a faint scratching sound.

"What was that?" Thyss asked, looking around.

"Bats perhaps." The demon said absently as he admired the citadel's craftsmanship.

The unsettling sound came again. An answering screech came from the opposite side. Sesshomaru looked up, trying to focus on the source of the sound. It did sound like a bat, but not quite the same as what he had heard in the past. He noticed that Kephren was scanning the ceiling also, confirming that something didn't feel right.

"Do you sense something demon?" Kephren asked, not taking his eyes from the ceiling that was shrouded in darkness. The scratching sound was getting louder, closer.

"The sound is similar to that of a bat, but it is not the same pitch." Sesshomaru murmured, concentrating on the dark ceiling.

Rin chewed her lip nervously. If her lord, and Kephren were concerned she knew something was very wrong. The feeling of dread she had earlier came rushing back, leaving her shaking in fear.

There was an abrupt silence, then a deafening high-pitched scream reverberated through the cavern. Kephren set the child on the ground, motioning for her to stay near. No sooner had he set her down than an odd buzzing, scratching sound filled the cavern. A strange cloud-like darkness covered the top of the citadel, totally eclipsing the soft light given off by the vines. Dense darkness pressed in on them.

Rin stood as if rooted to the ground, a fist pressed against her lips. A faint blue light illuminated the area surrounding them as Thryss and Kephren lit the air.

Suddenly Rin screamed. A massive swarm of voracious winged creatures descended on them. Rin screamed again as one of the things hit her with an acid-like liquid. Staring at her arm where the liquid had landed, her eyes widened as her skin sizzled and blistered. Mesmerized by her blistering skin, she failed to see another stream of acid coming at her.

Kephren turned at the child's scream. She was staring intently at her arm. He could see the skin being eaten away by the acid the flying creatures were spitting. As he watched, another bat-like thing dived toward the child, opening its mouth and releasing a stream of acid. Kephren darted toward her in blur of motion. Without the protection of the armor, the child would never survive the attack.

Rin looked up just as Kephren reached her. She started to protest until she saw the swarm of flying things coming at her. Rin found herself smashed up against the Talisian as gigantic black wings burst from his back, surrounding them. Rin wriggled uncomfortably, Kephren was much stronger than he looked. At her movement he loosed his hold, but did not release her.

"What's going on?" she asked shakily.

"You will not survive unprotected." His silver eyes were focused on a small space between the wings. "Do not move." he instructed her.

The air around them seemed to crackle and spark, then to Rin's astonishment the air ignited into flames, engulfing everything around them.

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes as the things approached him. Flicking his wrist, he released his whip, then blinked in surprise. The glowing green of his whip had black dust sparkling within it.

The whip lashed out, tearing through the mass of flying creatures. The effect was...unusual. The poison of the whip sliced through the little beasts releasing the black dust from within the whip, shredding it beyond recognition. The demon release the deadly whip several more times cutting through the dark cloud of the bat-like things. Each strike took out dozens, but the entire cavern was filled with the things, and he was only making a small dent.

Glancing to his right, Sesshomaru watched as Thryss sent out wave after wave of energy. The problem was, no matter how many she killed, an overwhelming number continued to come. One of the flying creatures, evaded her energy wave, latching onto her arm with small needle-like teeth. Thryss hissed in surprised, them grabbed the thing, crushing it in her hand.

They needed a different approach. The demon pulled out his sword, which gleamed darkly. Directing his attention to Thryss, "There are too many."

Fire exploded from behind him. Whirling around, he watched in disbelief as air surrounding Kephren ignited explosively, torching hundreds of the creatures that were swarming him. As the flames subsided, Sesshomaru saw that Kephren had cocooned himself with his black wings. Opening the wings a bit to address them, the demon saw that he had been shielding Rin.

"There are too many." Kephren shouted. "Use your sword demon. You can control black fire."

Kephren opened his wing, and looked at Thryss who nodded at his implied suggestion. The demon was surprised when she ran over, to crouch beside the child. Closing the wings around them, Kephren buried the diamond hard edges in the ground, completely encasing them within his armor. Crouching within Kephren's wings, Thryss commanded her own armor to mimic her companion's, adding an additional protective layer to shield them from the deadly black flames. The fire was one of the few

things that could truly hurt the Talisians, and they took care to properly shield themselves and the child.

Sesshomaru drew back his sword, calling up his demon energy. The air around him, crackled with the gathering power. Focusing on the middle of the cloud, he swept the sword in a wide arc.

The black flames roared out from the blade, devouring everything in its path. He had to repeat the process several more times before the creatures stopped coming.

"Interesting." He remarked, walking over to where Kephren was shielding Rin and Thryss. As he approached, he noticed that black wings appeared to be scorched in areas. Looking closing at the damaged areas, he realized the black fire had actually hurt the Talisian. It was unfortunate that it hadn't killed him; still, he had managed to scuff that pretty black armor. Sesshomaru smiled.

Unfolding the black wings, the first thing Kephren saw was Sesshomau, smiling at him.

"What amuses you demon?" Kephren inquired, straighten up.

Sesshomaru indicated the damaged armor, "It would seem you have some weaknesses after all."

Pulling the wing forward, Kephren inspected the damage, a decidedly unhappy expression crossing his beautiful face. "Had I know that you were so unskilled, I would have given you more berth." he grumbled, running a hand across the damage.

The demon snorted, too pleased with Kephren's damaged armor to be insulted. Picking up one of the crystallized black corpses, he held it out. "Explain this." he demanded arrogantly.

Still grumpily looking over his damaged armor he muttered, "It would stand to reason that you command a weapon, such as black fire, and have absolutely no idea what it is."

The demon felt his good humor slipping away at the Talisian's disrespectful tone. "Then how is it that I can wield it, and you can not?"

"No Talisian can control it. Black fire was left by the ancients. You are the first I have seen wield it."

Sesshomaru considered the crystallized bat-like thing in his hand. Thousands more littered the cavern floor. "What is black fire?"

Kephren absorbed the wings back into himself, still grumbling about his marred armor. Turning his back on the demon, he began to make his way toward the citadel.

"Black fire is a cold flame that freezes then crystallizes all it comes into contact with. With proper control," he cast a scathing glance at the demon, "it came be a devastating weapon."

Sesshomaru dropped the carcass as he followed the Talisian, considering what he had been told. He had sought power his whole life, but when he found what he had been searching for, it had not come from his world. He wondered at the significance of such a thing.

Rin shuddered, trying not to step on the corpses that covered the floor, but there were so many. She winced as something crunched under her foot. She tried going on tip toe. All that accomplished was making her loose her balance, landing among the many the small bodies that covered the floor. Now that she was close to them she could see that they were similar to bats, but they had elongated bodies, like a centipede. Like the insect, the bat thing had thousands of tiny legs running along the underside of its body. Rin's eyes went wide with alarm as she felt the legs of another one brush her hand. Jumping to her feet, she carefully made her way through the bodies, taking care not to fall again.

Despite the neglect, Sesshomaru couldn't help but admire the exquisite craftsmanship of the citadel. Looking up as they passed through the entrance, the demon examined the vaulted ceiling that towered above them. Like the citadel on Talis, the walls had been engraved with the familiar gracefully curving symbols. The carvings were what gave off the soft green glow that illuminated the passageways.

Stepping over a huge vine that twisted along the floor, the demon wondered why the vines were different. The citadel, although crumbling and filled with debris, was pale. The vines were ugly. Black and distended, they snaked along the walls and floor in a twisted mass. Looking over his shoulder he sourly watched Rin cling to the creature. What was it about that thing that she was so fond of? Thryss was the same way when it came to the Talisian. The demon had a bad feeling that if he decided to keep Thryss around, the creature would come with her whether he liked it or not. He contemplated if there was some way to get that thing to go home—alone.

The creature in question stopped suddenly, peering into a room that connected to the corridor.

"What is this?" Kephren murmured, entering the room.

The demon lord scowled, what had distracted it this time? Following Kephren in resignation, Sesshomaru pulled up short as he entered the room. Like the hallway, the room was covered in vines; but held in its coils were the troll-like creatures that they had fought earlier. The demon crossed the floor, avoiding some vines that lay like thick ropes across its cracked surface. To the demon's surprise, the troll-like creatures did not appear to be dead, or dying. His golden eyes narrowed as he noted that the wounds that had been inflicted were scabbing over and closing. The creatures appeared to be asleep as they hung cradles in the thick coils; their breathing was steady, and they did not seem to be in any discomfort. The vines on Talis had been instruments of death, but these were different. They were repairing the creatures, caring for them. Sesshomaru drew back, puzzled. How could that be? The citadel was deserted, and therefore there was no one to control the actions of the vines.

"It is repairing them." Sesshomaru said, voicing his thoughts as he leaned forward examining one of the creatures. "How is this possible?" he inquired, turning to address Kephren, who shrugged helplessly.

Rin backed away from the creatures held in the vines, trying to swallow her rising terror. Her eyes darted back and forth, one minute staring at the monsters, the next at the unnatural vines that clung to the walls. She swallowed nervously, backing away in a need to put some distance between her and the monsters. A flicker of movement to the left caught her attention. Her eyes went wide as a vine reached out toward her. A long thin tendril strained in her direction. Too terrified to scream, Rin watched the vine stretch and twist, trying to reach her. Hypnotized by the tendril, she failed to notice the vines that snaked along the floor by her feet. Her voice suddenly returned as a tendril wrapped around her ankle, crawling up her leg

Rin's terrified scream ripped through the air, making the hair along the demon's neck stand up. Whipping around, he saw Rin's small body being engulfed by the vines. The last thing he heard was Rin screaming, as the vines pulled her into their twisted coils obscuring her from view.

**Authors Note: Argh...its loose, and on a roll. Hope your ready for some nerdy goodness! Just a reminder; REVIEW! The inner-nerd demands REVIEWS! Be kind to the nerd, and review. :)**

**Mistress Ayako:** Do you truly trust Kephren? Remember chapter 2? As for Rin, I have plans, so stay with me. I guarantee you won't see coming what I have in mind for a sequel.

**RIN14:** The inner nerd thanks you, it loves praise. I am glad that the characters still seem like themselves, it gets tricky sometimes.

**ColdHeartedVixen: **Kephren is mollified, provided the shrine remains dust free. He did mention he would be quite cross it any shoes find themselves resting on his shrine. I know, he's a pain, but I love him anyways.

**MissQuigley:** Okay, where do I start? Thanks for your kind review, I had a lot of fun reading it! Kephren reminds you of Q? That's interesting. I can see the similarities, but its funny because I had forgotten about Q until you mentioned him. I have found out that there are others who have the inner-nerd, it just takes a little sci-fi twist to pull it out, so you are not alone. Now for your questions.

**1 **I don't think it would be good for Koga's health to run into Kephren, although I am sure it would be funny. As for Miroku offering advice on women to Kephren; that's a scary thought.

**2** The Shikon Jewel still exists, but won't have any bearing on this story. I am afraid my imagination tends to wander about in odd directions. I like time travel, but there is a lot that I have to stuff into the next chapters just to get this thing close to finishing. So this story will remain between Earth and Talis.

**3** I am so happy my humor has tickled someone besides myself. The fact that our great demon lord wears a big, white, fluffy boa, strikes me, and thus my Talisian, as funny.

**4** Sesshomaru become a softy? Probably not, but perhaps he can learn a bit of humanity from a race that has no concept of it.


	28. Chapter 28

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYahsa

Chapter 28: The Citadel

Sesshomaru raced over, Thryss and Kephren close at his heals. Reaching for the vine, the demon lord hesitated. Rin had ceased screaming, and the citadel was once more eerily silent.

"Wait, if you damage the vine, you may injure the child." Kephren warned.

They waited pensively, watching for any signs of struggle. Then to their surprise the vines began to loosen their hold on the child, cradling her within the glittering coils.

Kephren moved closer, examining the vine, "She does not appear to be injured."

Thryss frowned thoughtfully, "She is unconscious, but the collection unit it not segmenting her. As long as she is unharmed it would be safer to wait for her to regain consciousness. On Talis she was able to free herself. If the unit has attached to her, we could kill her by breaking the connection forcibly."

Sesshomaru drew in a deep breath, then backed away. "We will wait." he agreed.

Kephren stood beside Thryss, silently watching the child with an unreadable expression.

With no definite means of freeing the child from the vine without harming her, they watched helplessly, waiting to see what would transpire.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Rin blinked in confusion as she looked around. She must be dreaming, she realized. Still, there was something unnervingly real about what she saw around her.

She stood in the citadel, but it looked different. The floor and walls were pristine, unlike the crumbling ruins she remembered. Everything looked _new. _Deciding that she was indeed dreaming, Rin wandered around the room, curiously studying the beautiful carvings that covered the walls. A voice drew her attention. Following the sound, she paused at the arched entrance of a larger room, peering around the corner.

A small group of people stood in the center of the room, talking rapidly. They stood around a long cylinder of light that reached from the floor to the ceiling. They resembled Kephren, but their skin was a pale, pearly color. Inching closer, she tried to see what they doing. As one of the group glanced in her direction she gasped, frantically scanning the room for a hiding place. Then to her astonishment, he turned back to the others, without any indication that she was there.

Rin's eyes widened as she realized what was happening. She was still in the vines, but she was sleeping or in some kind of trance. What she was seeing must be a memory of the vine. As insane as that sounded, she was positive about it, although she couldn't have explained why. Now that she realized she was seeing a memory, she moved closer.

"The experiment has failed." said a creature sporting short silver hair.

The green cylinder of light shifted, a series of symbols stretching along it center. "You have confirmation?" The light inquired.

"Yes, unfortunately all attempts to introduce the new genetic material into our engineering processes have failed. However we have successfully engineered two separate hybrids, using the natives of this world. I am sending a small number of the hybrids for your records." The short-haired one replied.

"You will send both types of hybrids?" The light asked.

"Negative. The two hybrids do not interact well together; it is recommended that they remain separated." the short-haired one said.

"Which of the two will you be sending?" the light asked.

"The hybrid with the more obedient nature." answered short-hair.

"Then you will destroy the other?"

"We do not believe that is necessary. The hybrid using the animal matter, is sentient and self-sufficient. We believe it will continue to thrive if it remains on this world." the short-haired one informed the light.

"Your recommendation has been received and accepted. We will await their arrival." The light abruptly disappeared, effectively ending all communication.

"Do you think it wise to send the humanoid hybrid back?" wondered another of the group, this one with shoulder length hair.

"They are most like us. There is no hope for our race. The hybrid carries our genetic material, and will carry on our directive satisfactorily."

"What of the other?"

Short-hair sighed wearily, "We have done enough. If this species wishes to survive, I will not prevent it."

The others nodded, odd expressions of resignation on their faces.

Rin frowned, digging her fingers into her hair as she thought about what they had said. What was a hybrid? Seeing short-hair walk slowly from the room, she started, then ran to catch up with him. She needed to know. There was something important going on, but what?

She followed him through a veritable labyrinth of corridors until he stopped by a glowing green symbol above one of the arched door frames. He stood at the entrance for a moment then moved on. Curious to see what had caught his attention, Rin cautiously stepped into the room. As soon as she passed through the doorway, she stopped short, speechless.

Black vines, snaked along the wall, holding several creatures in its grasp. What made Rin gasp was that one creature was Talisian, the other was a..._.demon._

Rin back-peddled, shaking her head in disbelief at what she was seeing. There was no doubt about the Talisian; black skin, silver hair, that unnaturally beautiful face. The demon on the other hand, was definitely a demon, but it looked a little different. Unlike her lord, this demon resembled an animal more than a human. Rin knew that Lord Sesshomaru did not assume his true form except in extreme situations. She had never actually seen him change, although Jaken had certainly described it to her. So why was this demon different? Rin moved closer, confident that she would not be seen or heard.

It was actually a bird demon that hung from the vines. Rin sucked in her breath at the power that radiated from him. His face—and it was definitely a him—was fiercely handsome, she noted. His sharp, angular features were more human in appearance than bird, but instead of hair he had feathers. Rin slowly studied the handsome demon wondering what kind of bird he was. The feathers ran down the back of extremely muscular arms, and ended at the elbow. Rin averted her eyes before they could travel lower; the feathers didn't cover everything and she didn't want to see what might be hidden behind the vines.

Dragging her eyes back up to his face, Rin shrieked and fell backwards. The demon's eyes were open, and watching her. Rin scrambled back, then chided herself. He wasn't real. There was no reason to be afraid. Then he spoke.

"Why are you here, human?" Rin jerked her head up at the sound of the demon's deep raspy voice. The vines constricting his throat made him pause for breath.

"Um...isn't this a dream?" her voice came out disturbingly shaky.

The demon tilted his head, and Rin was reminded of a bird of prey watching some poor unfortunate rodent.

"A dream?" The deep voice had an odd quality to it, something not quite human about the sound. Rin swallowed nervously, getting back to her feet and approaching what she decided must be a predator.

"I was caught by the vines," she began quietly, looking up at him, "I can remember being pulled in, and feeling them wrap around me. The next thing I knew I was here, in the citadel, but it didn't look old anymore. There were some people talking, at least I think they were people. I followed one of them in here and saw you. You are the first person here to see me. Am I dreaming?'

The demon's eyes had large black pupils surrounded by a slender ring of copper, which rapidly widened then constricted making his eyes flash dangerously, as he regarded her. "If this is not real, then it is a nightmare, not a dream." He twisted his head, studying the vines. He strained against them, futilely trying to break free.

Reaching up, Rin touched one of the vines that lay across his torso. "You're a prisoner?" she asked quietly.

His eyes flashed again as she touched the vine. She sensed the untamed wildness lurking under the surface, yet she knew what it was like to be held against your will, and she couldn't just leave him like that.

"Are you going to eat me if I can get you loose?" she asked uncertainly.

He made an odd hissing, growling sound as his handsome face tightened ferociously. "If you free me, then I will gladly lend you my strength."

She guessed that meant he wouldn't eat her. Extending her other arm, she placed both hands on the vines. She knew that she could get them to let him go. She could feel it. Rin screwed up her face in concentration. _'Let him go._' she told the vine. She felt a faint awareness, but no response. She tried again, focusing on where her hands rested on the vine. Suddenly she felt energy come rushing into her. The vine jerked convulsively, freeing the demon.

Rin stumbled backwards and would have fallen, if the demon had not grabbed her. Encircling her small arms with fingers ending in long, sharp talons, he lifted her off the ground, staring at her silver-stained eyes.

"You said you wouldn't eat me. Remember." She stammered.

The copper eyes flashed as he brought his nose to her neck. "You are different."

"Huh?"

"You have their scent, but is faint." he sniffed her again. Rin wriggled self-consciously, she bathed on a regular basis, but it had been a few days.

"How is it you have their scent, yet remain human?" The demon asked suspiciously.

"What are you talking about? Whose scent?" Rin squeaked.

"Those accursed beings who did this to me." He hissed.

Rin stared at him wide-eyed.

He sniffed again and seemed to come to some form of conclusion. Setting her down, he stalked from the room.

"Come" he instructed, when she hesitated.

"Where are we going?" she dared to ask.

He glanced over his shoulder, regarding her out of fierce copper eyes. "To free the others."

Rin trotted up to him, a look of curiosity entering her eyes. "What's you name?"

"Name?" he inquired blankly, not taking his eyes off the passage in front of him.

"You know, what they call you." she supplied.

"I have none." he said shortly.

"No name?" she echoed in disbelief.

"No."

"Everyone has a name. Can I give you one?"

He shrugged in unconcern, the strong muscles of his back rippling under his skin. Rin forced her eyes upward. He had feathers, but not quite enough for her to be comfortable. He needed clothes. She considered what she should name him.

"What kind of bird are you?"

This time he did glance back; to give her annoyed look. "Falcon."

"Nexus. That's what I will call you." Speeding up to walk beside him, she looked up to see his reaction. The eyes flashed, but he didn't seem angry.

"Why do you care? Names are for humans, and I am no human."

"I know, but can I call you Nexus anyways?" Rin fell back a step, uncertainty showing on her delicate features.

The demon glanced back at her uncomprehendingly, then made a soft growling sound before shifting his gaze back in front of him.

Rin grinned happily, ignoring his dour silence. They stopped at the entrance of a large room. The black vines covered the walls, imprisoning demons of all kinds. There were so many different types.

Nexus stepped forward, emitting an ear-piercing scream. The piercing sound ricocheted across the room shattering the vines. The vines that had been wrapped around his throat had been silencing him she realized. That was why he had been unable to free himself.

Freed from the vines, numerous demons approached Nexus, their hungry gaze lingering on the child by his side. Rin could see the violence in their eyes as they watched her.

"Give her to us. She is one of them." A large bear-like demon demanded.

Nexus's eyes flashed aggressively, "She belongs to me." he hissed.

The bear-demon backed off, acknowledging the bird-demon's strength.

"Take the others and leave this place." Nexus told them.

Completely ignoring the demons standing behind him, Nexus made his way back to the doorway. Rin glanced back, then quickly joined him as he vacated the room.

"What's going on? Why did they have all those demons?" She asked confused.

"Demons?"

"Back there, they were demons."

"I do not know that word." Nexus said.

Rin frowned. He didn't know what a demon was? "But you're a demon, too." she said.

Nexus stopped, then wheeled around on her. "I am an abomination." he hissed. "A combination of a falcon and the accursed."

"Hybrid." Rin whispered, understanding dawning in her eyes. "They engineered you."

Wild copper eyes flashed angrily. "The accursed seek to use us to save their worthless race." he spat. "They have tainted us and the humans with their blood.

"Humans?" Rin said uneasily. Her bird-demon was a touchy creature.

"The other one held prisoner beside me. He has human blood instead of animal." Nexus paused, staring thoughtfully at the child. "The accursed plan to take them back to their world. It would seem the ones with animal blood like me, are not malleable enough." he said, a cruel smile playing on his lips. Rin shivered involuntarily. Nexus was scary, even when he wasn't trying to be.

An air of barely contained violence made Rin back away nervously from the demon as she watched him out of wide anxious eyes.

The copper gaze traveled down her small frame examining her kimono, "What is the purpose of this?" he asked, running a talon over the colorful silk.

"My kimono? Its just clothing." Rin answered, not sure what he was asking.

The demon narrowed his eyes, "Humans wear such things, and I have seen the accursed cover themselves as well." he said sharply, "Yet animals have no need for such foolishness."

Rin stood perfectly still as the frighteningly sharp talons lifted the edge of her sleeve. It would be so easy for him to shred her flesh, she didn't want to make any unexpected movements around those dangerous talons.

"I am not human, yet I am not an animal." he mused still holding onto the silk.

Without another word, Nexus dropped the sleeve, spun around, and headed down the corridor they had just left. Rin hurried to catch up as his long strides quickly distanced him from her. She stayed a little behind him, wondering what he was doing, but not sure if it would be wise to ask.

He paused in front of one of the many arched doorways, hesitating slightly before entering. Peering into the room, Rin saw an array of clothing scattered about. Nexus scanned the variety of colors before picking up a gray silk kimono embroidered with green. Lifting it up in front of him, he asked, "Why do you believe me to be a demon?"

Rin started at the question, moving further into the room, "Because you have the powerful spirit of an animal and the intelligence of a human. Demons are spirits of animals or things of nature; some are powerful like you, and some are weaker than me, but they are all intelligent." she wasn't sure if that was the right answer, but it was the best explanation she could come up with.

The copper gaze dropped back down to her, "I am superior to both." he decided. When she nodded, he continued, "Do your demons wear clothing as the humans do?"

Rin nodded again as he slipped on the silver gray kimono which set off his striking plumage. "I am neither human nor animal, but they will fear me more than any human or animal." he declared as he stalked from the room.

"Where are you going?" she dared to ask.

"I do not care for this place."

Rin fidgeted nervously as she followed him, periodically pinching herself in hopes she might wake up.

"What are you doing now?" he asked, his raspy voice heavy with exasperation as he glanced back.

Her eyes traveled up to his face, with a self-conscious expression. "I was trying to wake up."

Nexus met her gaze with a calculating look. "You still think this is a dream?" he inquired.

"What else could it be?"

"What else indeed." he murmured.

Craning her neck to look up at him, she said softly, "I want to go home."

Nexus had no love for humans, but he owed his freedom and possibly his life to this small child. He did not know what the accursed had planned for him, but they were not known for their kindness. Stopping abruptly, he looked down at the child in resignation. He was not human. He would not repay her kindness with cruelty.

"Very well." the demon decided, "I will aid you."

"Do you know how to get me back?" she asked wide-eyed.

"Close your eyes." he instructed.

Rin took one last look at the powerful demon, whose copper eyes flashed as he watched her. He looked like royalty, with his striking plumage and fierce eyes. Rin absently mused that she was getting a rather odd collection of creatures she considered friends, and felt a pang of sadness at the thought that this might be the last time she saw him.

"Will I ever see you again?" She asked closing her eyes.

"I do not know." he answered.

Rin felt darkness settle over her. She drifted drowsily in a warm and comfortable fog. Yawning, she opened her eyes, to see that was she still held in the embrace of the vines. Uneasy about the tendrils that were slithering around her, she reached out, grabbing hold of the vines. At her touch the coiling tendrils pulled back as though burned, dropping her unceremoniously on the cracked surface of the floor.

As she scrambled to get out of the remaining vines, she felt strong hands grip her arms, and pull her out of the tangle of vines that writhed against the floor. Twisting around she realized it was not her bird-demon, but Lord Sesshomaru that had grabbed her.

"You are well?" he inquired. Rin thought she saw relief in the golden eyes but she couldn't be sure.

"Yes, my lord." She answered, smiling up at him.

Kephren peered over the demon's shoulder, studying the child with interest. "It would be best to leave this place. The child appears unharmed, but I believe any further investigation should be done without her."

Sesshomaru nodded in agreement, rising to his feet. Rin couldn't contain her surprise when he continued to hold on to her. Maybe he really had been worried.

Without another word the group headed out of the citadel, which did not impede them as they made for the surface.

**Authors Note**: What did you think of this chapter? Hopefully you still found it interesting even though it centered around Rin.

**MissQuigley:** Hmmm, Sesshomaru has taken InuYasha's place? I don't think he is going to be too happy about that. I am glad that your enjoying the inner-nerd, hopefully it hasn't gone too far with this chapter. :)

**RIN14:** Thanks for the compliment. I am trying to keep it interesting and a bit off the beaten path. I am a bit nervous about this chapter since most of the main characters aren't really in it. What did you think? :)

**MistressAyako: **I like loyalty! So your going away? Have fun, but don't forget to review when you get back. :)

**sarcastic-southern-bookworm:** You know... ColdHeartedVixen has started the _I love Kephren _club. Kephren gives his approval if you would like to join. :)

**ColdHeartedVixen:** Don't despair. A very disgruntled Kephren will be back in the next chapter. Still, the inner-nerd is having fun; hope you liked it. :)


	29. Chapter 29

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha

Chapter 29: Blood Ties

Stopping once they reached the mouth of the cave, Sesshomaru scanned the child, checking for injuries. He was finding it hard to believe that she had escaped unscathed considering that last time it had nearly killed her. Satisfied that she was indeed whole, he set her on the ground before proceeding into the forest.

The trees grew denser as they traveled deeper into the woods. The sky was just starting to darken when they came across a clearing. Looking up at the brilliant red and orange sky the demon lord indicated they were to stop,

"We will camp here for the night." The demon announced arrogantly, settling himself against the trunk of a large tree.

Rin set about gathering fire wood. It was autumn and the evenings tended to be cool. She remained silent as she carefully placed small twigs and leaves in a pile for kindling. Making sure the larger sticks were within easy reach, she set about starting the camp fire. Concentrating on her kindling, Rin tried to ignore her three companions who were watching her thoughtfully. She needed to tell them what she had learned, yet she hesitated; it was likely that what she had to tell them would not be welcome. Rocking back on her heels as the fire finally caught, she stole a glance at her lord as she placed a few larger sticks on the fire.

The demon lord's pale figure leaned negligently against the large tree, watching as she set up camp. He hadn't asked anything yet, but she knew he was waiting. Turning her attention back to the small fire, she squeaked in surprise, jumping back. Kephren crouched on the opposite side of the fire, his sliver eyes reflecting the cheery flames. Rin took a deep breath as she moved back to the fire. He moved so quietly!

"You know something." Kephren stated, breaking the silence.

Rin stared into the flames, not sure if what she had seen was real or a dream.

"Tell me." the Talisian commanded.

Meeting his silver gaze over the dancing flames, she hesitated, "I'm not sure if what I saw was a dream or not."

Kephren regarded her curiously, "You saw something while you were unconscious?"

Rin nodded. "What did you see?" Kephren prompted.

The three sat in silence as Rin slowly told them what she had seen while held in the embrace of the vines. She glanced up as she finished her tale to find three incredulous pairs of eyes staring back at her. Rin swallowed uneasily, she had a feeling they weren't going to like this.

"Preposterous!" Kephren exclaimed, rising to his feet.

Sesshomaru, while no less shocked, remained far quieter about it as he regarded her out of narrowed eyes. What disturbed the demon was that he had heard of Nexus. Pushing aside the uneasiness that was settling over him, he asked, "The one called Nexus. What manner of demon was he?"

Rin's eyes darted over to her lord, "He was a falcon, my lord." she said nervously.

Sesshomaru did not reply as he tried to recall what he had heard of Nexus. The demon's eyes narrowed as he remembered some of the old tales; without exception every story about the demon concerned his desire for vengeance, his cruelty, and his hatred of all living things. Nexus had killed indiscriminately; human or demon, it had made no difference. In the stories Nexus had been so powerful that the humans and demons had combined forces in hopes of killing of him, but when they failed they resorted to imprisoning him instead. If the stories were correct, many had died in the process. Sesshomaru turned his attention back the small child sitting in front of the camp fire. The demon he knew of couldn't possibly be the same one that Rin had spoken of, could he?

"If what you saw was not just a dream, that would mean that the blood of the ancients exist in both demons and us." Thryss said, speaking up for the first time.

Kephren moved to stand in front of Thryss, "Then you believe that we are an engineered race?" he asked incredulously.

"Her story does not sound like a dream." Thryss explained.

"I am_ not_an abomination." Kephren declared indignantly.

Rin hung her head, "That's what Nexus called himself, an abomination." she said quietly, drawing his attention.

Kephren shook his head, his long silver hair catching the firelight, "If what you saw is true, then the demons are engineered, but from what I understand they procreate like everything else on this world." The Talisian paced back and forth revealing his agitation, "The people of Talis engineer, but it is merely for the sake of optimal genetics. The engineering that you speak of is not possible here on this world. The demons don't have that kind of technology." he concluded.

It wasn't Rin, but Thryss that disagreed, "Even if what she saw was merely a dream, how do you explain the citadel?" she challenged.

Kephren stopped, turning to meet her gaze, confusion creeping into his silver eyes, "A citadel being here is illogical. A world with a citadel would never be targeted."

"Yet the citadel exists." Thryss said.

"Why is the citadel significant?" Sesshomaru queried, entering back into the conversation.

Thryss sighed, resting her chin on her palm, the light of the fire playing across her face, "A citadel indicates that the ancients took an interest in this world; invested time and resources. They would not build a citadel on a world that was in decline."

"Yet this world was targeted." the demon prompted.

"Yes, but it doesn't make any sense." Thyrss said, puzzled. She stared thoughtfully into the fire before turning her gaze to her dark world companion, "Keff, how is a world determined to be in decline?"

"There is a signal sent by the ancients." He answered absently.

"A signal?" Thryss frowned at Kephren, she had never know this.

The Talsian nodded, "Like us, the ancients were destroyers. We follow the same directive as they did; to eradicate all life from worlds that have a poisoned atmosphere, have been ravaged by an incurable sickness, or are unable to properly support life. The ancients scouted for these worlds; leaving an encoded signal to indicate if the world was in decline or under protection."

"There are protected worlds?" Thryss asked in surprise.

Kephren nodded affirmatively, "The ancients took interest in certain worlds. The signal from these planets were encoded, placing them under their protection."

"Wouldn't the existence of the citadel indicate this is a protected world?" she speculated.

"It stands to reason." he agreed

Thryss fell silent, considering what she had been told. Glancing up, she asked, "Where do the signals originate from?"

"I do not know." Kephren said, meeting her eyes.

"What about the citadel?" Thyrss suggested. "It would be capable of sending out a signal."

Kephren gave her a horrified look, "The Foremost of the Imperial Guard herself interprets the signals. Are you suggesting that she would ignore our directives?"

Thryss met his gaze squarely, "What if she didn't know about the citadel? If she found the signal, but not the citadel, it is possible she might misinterpret it." she insisted.

Kephren ran a dark hand through his long silver hair, not liking where this was going.

Thyrss continued ruthlessly, "The citadel on this world is obviously not self-sufficient any longer. If the signal originated from the citadel; considering its state of disrepair, it stands to reason that the signal may have become distorted, perhaps losing some or all of the protective encoding."

"Which would mean the Foremost has been mistakenly targeting protected worlds." Kephren finished grimly.

Sesshomaru listened in growing horror to what they were suggesting, "Then you are saying that this world has been targeted in error?"

"Yes." It was Kephren that answered, his silver eyes devoid of all their normal humor. "We must stop this. We must find a way stop Astarte."

"Stop Astarte? How? She is the strongest of our kind!" Thryss erupted to her feet, staring at him in disbelief."

"I will challenge her." Kephren decided.

So great was Thryss anger that the demon had a fleeting hope she actually might hurt the creature. Unfortunately all she did was yell at him; still it lasted for quite some time, resulting in Kephren leaving in what could only be called a huff.

Thryss growled in frustration as she watched Kephren's departing back. Spinning on her heel, she took off in the opposite direction. She needed some time to think.

Sesshomaru pushed himself away from the tree as he rose to his feet.

"My lord." Rin's small voice came out of the darkness.

"Yes, what is it?" The demon lord inquired, looking in the direction that Thryss had taken.

"I'm sorry." her small sad voice was barely a whisper.

Sesshomaru transferred his golden gaze to her expectantly.

"I made everybody angry. Thryss yelled at Kephren. She never does that." Rin studied the ground with seeming fascination, "Was I wrong in telling about what I saw?" she finished miserably.

"You were not wrong. Do not concern yourself with such foolish thoughts." the demon answered as he turned his back on her, and headed into the woods after Thryss.

Thryss stalked through the forest, grumbling to herself about her stupidly arrogant companion, who was going to get himself killed. It wasn't a very Talisian-like thing to think, but she couldn't imagine life without him. Her conceited companion would_ never_admit to himself that he might be incapable of defeating Astarte. Thryss sighed in exasperation. She had to do something, but what? She had lost Sesshomaru once before, and might possibly lose him again if they could not stop the attack. The thought of losing Kephren also, was simply too much for her to bear.

Sesshomaru followed the small human female from a distance, curious to see what she up to. She appeared to be deep in thought, but whatever she was thinking was not evident in her expression. She walked purposefully through the trees, her face an emotionless mask, that he knew from experience hid whatever turmoil she was feeling.

"The palace is in the opposite direction." The demon said, circling around to stand in front of her.

Thryss glared up at him angrily. He should be used to it by now, but that utter lack of fear never failed to irk him. Sesshomaru continued to block her path as he waited for an answer.

"I was not returning to your palace." She said shortly, starting to go around him.

"Then you desired a walk? I will accompany you." he decided, falling into step beside her.

"I have no need of your companionship." Thryss said sharply.

"Never the less, you shall have it." he remarked implacably.

Thryss just about skidded to halt as she turned on him, "What do you want?" she demanded.

"If the creature wishes to challenge the one you call Astarte, why do you interfere? I was led to believe that such an interference was insulting." he inquired, arching a pale eyebrow.

"Whomever Kephren chooses to challenge, makes no difference to me." she said coldly.

"Will he survive the challenge?"

Thryss' anger evaporated as she raked a hand through her dark hair, "It is unlikely."

"Then why challenge her? There must be another option." he suggested.

Thryss glanced up, her dark eyes full of distress, "That's just it. A formal challenge will stop the attack until the outcome has been decided. With a challenge, it is a one-on-one fight. The only other option is to meet the armies of Talis head-on. We cannot hope to win against the armies, which is why he will challenge her. It is the only way."

"Why do you care?" the demon asked, unknowingly echoing the same question that Kephren had put to her concerning him.

Thryss laughed softly at the irony, "Kephren is my family. He is all I have." she said simply.

"This is your world, not Talis." Sesshomaru reminded her.

Thryss sighed, an expression of despair flitting across her face, "I am no human. I may have human blood, but I will never be one of them."

"I don't believe I suggested you remain with other humans." the demon said dryly.

Thryss started to reply then stopped short staring at him, "You want me to remain with you?"

"Providing the creature can be persuaded to go home."

"Kephren?" Thryss couldn't hide her amusement.

"Is there another one I should be aware of?" he asked dead-pan.

"Kephren is not enough, all by himself?" she said trying not to laugh.

Sesshomaru scowled at her in displeasure, "It would be an unparalleled cruelty to subject the world to more than one of him."

Thryss grinned, "The strange thing is, I suspect he is fond of you."

The look of abject horror crossing the demon's face caused her to laugh out loud.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Kagome watched as InuYasha gobbled up the instant noodles she had brought for him. They had been following Sesshomaru for several days now and were no closer to figuring out what was going on. Her thoughts drifted to the exotic person that now traveled with the demon lord. What exactly was he? The school girl stared morosely into the campfire. Why couldn't she get him out of him mind? It was just a kiss. One simple little kiss. There was no reason for her to get so worked up about it.

"Whatcha thinking about?" The boy asked, wiping his mouth on his sleeve.

"What?" Kagome blurted, startled out of her thoughts.

InuYasha leapt across the fire, crouching in front of her, "What gives? You've haven't said a word all night." unusual behavior for his normally talkative friend.

The school girl hastily waved a hand in denial, "Oh its nothing, I was just wondering what you brother is doing traveling with a human woman." she lied. Her thoughts had actually been on the other new addition to Sesshomaru's group, but she wasn't about to tell him that.

"There is something going on, I can feel it. My brother isn't exactly the social type. So why would he traveling with another human?" he wondered.

Kagome fidgeted irritably; maybe a walk would help. Having made up her mind, she stood up, brushing bits of leaves and twigs from her uniform.

Seeing InuYasha's questioning look, she told him, "I am going for a walk."

"Now?" he asked incredulously.

"Yeah now." she said in exasperation.

"Are you crazy? You can't go walking around the woods at night, all by yourself." He sighed in resignation, "If you really want to, I guess I'll have to go with ya."

"No thanks." Kagome huffed, feeling put out by his self-sacrificing attitude, "I will be perfectly fine, and besides, I want to be alone."

InuYasha held up a placating hand, "Just wait a minute, would ya." he said, trotting along beside her as she made her way purposefully toward the trees.

Kagome wheeled around, irrationally angry with him, "I don't need your protection. I am only going a little ways into the woods. If I need help, I am sure you will be able to hear me."

The boy put up his hands in defeat, "Sheesh, you don't have to bite my head off." he muttered.

With a lift of her chin, Kagome marched into the forest, a niggling feeling of guilt eating away at her. She didn't mean to be short with him; it was just that she wanted to be alone for a little while. Glancing over her shoulder to make sure he wasn't following, she walked aimlessly though the dark shadows that stretched across the forest floor. Reluctantly deciding to head back, she turned around only to find she didn't recognize anything. Glancing around in something of a panic, she realized she had walked a much further than she had intended to. Mentally kicking herself for her impulsive nature, she decided to follow the water she had been hearing during her walk. If she could find the stream it might give her bearing. Being raised in modern day Japan, Kagome was not at home in the forest; which was evidenced by the inordinate amount of noise she made getting out of the woods. Breaking free of the dense thicket, she stumbled onto the bank of a small stream. Leaning over to brush off her skirt, she rested for minute, trying to calm her nerves. A movement to the side caught the corner of her eye. Gasping in fear, she jerked her head around scanning the area for wild animals. What she saw was most definitely not an animal. A slender dark figure relaxed on a flat rock near the stream, studying the starlight sky. Brilliant silver hair slid across the surface of the bolder as the evening breeze picked up, stirring the long strands.

If he noticed her, he gave no indication. Kagome wrestled with herself. If she had any sense she would be running the opposite direction. Even as her mind screamed at her to get out, she found herself moving forward. Like a moth to the flame, the school girl slowly approached the still figure.

As she neared, he propped himself up one elbow, watching her out those unnatural silver eyes. Kagome stopped a few feet away from his perch, telling herself that she was an idiot. He was dangerous. He had to be if he traveled with InuYasha's murderous brother. Standing at the base of the rock, Kagome tilted her head back, meeting the eerie silver gaze.

Suddenly nervous, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you." she stammered stupidly, bowing in apology.

"Why do you lie?" he asked, his sensuous lips curving up in amusement.

Kagome straightened indignantly, "I wasn't lying! What a rude thing to say!"

Sliding gracefully off the rock, Kephren walked over, watching with interest as she immediately began backing away. "If you desire my company, why do you back away?" he said softly. Reaching out, he caught hold of her, effectively preventing any attempt on her part to escape.

Oh, bad idea, this was such a bad idea, Kagome groaned silently. What had she been thinking? About that pretty silver hair, and those smooth hard muscles, that's what. Feeling his hand slide along her arm, pulling her closer, the school girl froze. Like a deer staring into the headlights of an oncoming car, Kagome stared up, as if hypnotized, into the inhumanly beautiful face.

"Am I truly that frightening?" Kephren murmured in amusement, as she stared at him wide-eyed. His unnatural voice wasn't helping matters.

"Um, well..." she said intelligently.

Using long dark fingers to tilt her head back, he asked, "If you were not seeking me out, what were you doing?"

"I just wanted to think." she babbled nervously, trapped within the circle of his arms.

"Ah."

Kagome narrowed her eyes at his dubious expression. "I certainly wasn't looking for you!" she exclaimed hotly.

Kephrens lips quirked at her indignant expression, "You traveled into the woods merely to think?"

"Yes." she said defensively.

"About what?" he asked curiously.

"Huh?" he noted her mouth had once more fallen open. "You really must work on this most unfortunate habit." Using a finger to gently close her mouth, he elaborated on his earlier inquiry, "What were you thinking about that brought you so far into the woods?"

Kagome stared at him dumbly. Raising a questioning silver brow, "You have forgotten?" he asked.

"Forgotten?" she echoed, staring up at him.

Kephren sighed dramatically, "That is the problem with great beauty. It tends to strike one speechless." he regarded her thoughtfully, tapping his lips with a slender finder. "Come, join me." he said abruptly, picking her up and leaping back onto the surface of the rock.

The unexpected movement jolted Kagome back to reality. Squealing in surprise, she twisted against his hold. "What do think you are doing?" she demanded.

Setting her down beside him, Kephren leaned back, once more resting against the cold surface of the rock. Slanting a look her way, he murmured, "I was thinking, until someone interrupted me."

Kagome's eyes darted away self-consciously. She had secretly hoped to see him again, but why? Giving into temptation, her gaze slid back to him. The school girl swallowed nervously. There was something so hypnotic about him, she couldn't seen to stop from staring. He watched silently as she slowly studied him.

Kagome frowned as she studied skin so black it seemed to absorb the shadows that surrounded them. She had never seen another living creature with his particular degree of darkness. It was unnatural.

"What are you?" she whispered.

Reaching up, he wrapped a shining curl around his finger. Lifting his gaze to meet hers, "You don't know?" he asked in a voice that sounded like rushing wind. Kagome shook her head negatively.

Kephren tilted his head slightly, regarding her out of enigmatic silver eyes, before pulling her down beside him. Kagome squeaked at the sudden movement, stiffening in surprise.

"Your such a prickly little thing." he murmured, threading his dark fingers through her hair. Kagome attempted to twist around to glare at him, only to find she couldn't move. He didn't look all that strong, but his arm might as have been made out of steel.

"Stop squirming." he chided her.

"I can't get up." she complained, wriggling unsuccessfully.

Sighing in resignation Kephren sat up, and leaned over her with a quizzical expression. Tracing her cheek, "It isn't possible." he said as though talking to himself.

"What isn't possible?"

Instead of answering, he leaned down to run his tongue lightly across her lips. "What are you doing?" she blurted, thoroughly flustered.

"You truly don't know?"

Kagome just shook her head.

As she started to struggle again, he raised an inquiring eyebrow, "Are all humans like you?"

"Humans?" she whispered.

"We have established that you are indeed human, correct?" he asked, heaving a long-suffering sigh.

Kagome nodded.

"Ah good, we're making progress." he said in satisfaction, "It stands to reason that there are others of your kind, correct?"

She nodded again.

His lips quirked up at the corner, as he watched her blank expression, "The other humans," he said slowly, "are they like you?"

"What do you mean." she asked, wrinkling her brow.

Kephren shook his head sadly, "It must be quite a sight to watch you humans converse with one another." he mused.

"What!"

Before she could express her outrage, he leaned down once more catching her lips in a soft caress. She stiffened uneasily as he teasingly brushed his tongue across her lips, while slowly exploring her skin with his fingers. Kagome made a soft distressed sound when she felt him slid his hand under her white cotton blouse.

Lifting his head, "Why do you fear being touched?" he asked in a puzzled voice as he felt her begin to tremble.

"I don't do this on a regular basis, you know!"

"You don't play?" he asked in surprise.

"What kind of girl do think I am?" she asked in outrage.

"I believe we determined you were human." he said, mystified by her odd antics.

Kagome growled in frustration, which only made him grin. Examining her thoughtfully, his eyes suddenly widened in understanding. "You lack experience." he breathed, brushing her ear with his lips. Sensuously sliding his tongue along the outer edge, he murmured, "It has been a long time since I have had to teach someone."

**Authors note:** Whew! I had to put a lot of information into this chapter, hopefully I explained everything well enough. Did you like this chapter? My nerd was working overtime trying to pull everything together.

**MissQuigley: **The inner-nerd thanks you, and hopes you liked this chapter too. You are right about the demons and the Talisians being related and engineered, I was hoping I made that clear enough in the last chapter. It is always a challenge to get what is in my head onto paper! As for a paradox, well I am not sure I would call it that, but I will explain the Rin/Nexus thing later. :)

**Onis-g:**Thanks for the compliment! I am glad you liked Rin being central in the last chapter, it is a little chancy when there aren't many of the main characters in the chapter, so I am relieved it worked out well. You liked Nexus? I thought he was kinda cool, although he won't come onto play very much until I start the sequel. :)

**ColdHeartedVixen**: Kephren is back, and I am having fun. Its too bad for Kagome that she only exists for his entertainment. Oh well. So I managed to surprise you? I was hoping I would be able to have a few surprises pop up along the way. I shall try not to disappoint! :)


	30. Chapter 30

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha

Chapter 30 Interlude

"I haven't had to teach anyone in a long time."

Kagome stared open-mouthed in shock at Kephren. Actually she stared at his sliver hair since his lips were still by her ear. The school girl's inarticulate sound of horror, made the Talisian raise his head to look at her curiously.

"You do not wish to learn?" he inquired, noting the expression of shocked dismay on her face.

"What?!" she all but shrieked, frantically pushing against the hard muscles of his chest.

Rolling slightly to the side, Kephren propped his head up on one hand, still holding her in place with other. "What odd creatures you humans are." he mused, watching her struggled ineffectively within his grasp. "I can tell you desire my attention, yet when I give you what you desire, you respond by trying to run away. Are all humans this contrary?" he wondered.

"What are you talking about? I didn't ask you to kiss me!" she exclaimed in outrage, trying to ignore the panicked beating of her heart.

Kephren met her gaze, a slow smile spreading across his face, "It wouldn't say much for me if you had to inform me that you desired my attention." He murmured in amusement. Leaning over her, he lazily trailed a dark finger down her throat, feeling her pulse flutter nervously.

"What are you going to do?" she asked in trepidation, feeling the pressure of his finger against her neck as she swallowed.

The Talisian cocked his head, considering her, "What would you like me to do?"

"Let me go." she whispered.

Kephren stared directly into her eye's, his inhuman silver gaze making her look away uncomfortably.

"You are once again lying, your body betrays you." he observed, lowering his head to capture her lips.

Kagome sucked in a breath as his lips whispered over hers. An unfamiliar wave of desire washed over her as he slipped his tongue into her mouth; teasing her, playing with her. There was no hurry to his movements, just a languid enjoyment of the sensation. She panicked again when his hand moved down the length of her hip, sliding down her thigh. She heard his soft laugh, "You need not fear me. If I meant you harm, you would know. Relax, play with me." the seductive invitation brushed across her ear, a tantalizing offer she knew should make her run screaming. She wasn't sure why she stopped resisting; maybe it was the fire that burned through her veins as his skillful fingers caressed her skin, causing her to gasp in pleasure at his touch. What ever the reason, she stopped fighting as desire overwhelmed her, blocking out all rational thought.

Kagome blinked in confusion when he lifted his head, watching her out of eerie silver eyes. His gaze slid down her body, stopping at her chest which was rapidly rising and falling under the white cotton of her blouse. The school girl watched in dazed fascination as he slowly slid a slender dark hand down her throat, and along her collar bone before settling on the first button of her blouse. Easily loosing the buttons that ran down the length of the white cotton, he pushed the cloth aside, studying the unusual piece of clothing she wore underneath.

"What do you call this?" Kephren asked curiously, tracing the edge of the fabric. A smile tugged as his lips as he noticed the way her breathing suddenly increased at the light touch.

"A bra." she gasped, her eyes dark and unfocused.

"This is the first human invention that I have seen, that I approve of." he informed her, looking quite pleased about the discovery. Glancing up, his lips quirked into a quick smile at the look of confusion now wrinkling her brow.

The intensity of her reaction left Kagome feeling muddled and confused. She should be embarrassed by her state of undress, but she wasn't. She wondered what he was doing to her, it was like she had been drugged. She wondered if it was possible to have your senses drugged, or if his touch had some kind of narcotic quality to it, because it was irrational for a kiss to make her this incoherent.

She didn't like the way her body burned and ached, leaving her helpless against the need that consumed her. She needed to get herself back under control, but if he didn't stop touching her it wasn't going to happen.

"Get out of my head." she whispered desperately.

"Why do you fight?" he asked curiously, not understanding her desire to resist what she so obviously wanted.

"I don't want want this." she cried, fighting to stop her body from reacting as he unclasped her bra, the unnatural blackness of his hand contrasting sharply with her pale skin.

Kephren raised a silver brow at the ridiculous statement, "Why do persist in lying when you have no aptitude for it whatsoever?" he wondered.

Kagome followed his gaze down to where he rested a black hand against the softly rounded curve of her breast. She watched in bemusement as he teased the dark tip with his thumb. Pleasure coursed through her body, causing her to gasp in surprise. How could such a light caress cause such an intense response? All other thoughts fled as her body arched at the sudden assault on her senses.

Silver hair slid across her stomach as he leaned down, bringing his lips close to her ear, "Why deny yourself? Let me teach you about pleasure." he whispered, his breath stirring the dark strands near her ear. _No, don't give in!_ She told herself. _It doesn't matter how tempting he is; don't give in! _

"Inu Yasha." She whimpered. Sharp and intense, the sensory overload was more than she could handle. She needed help.

"Get your hands off her!" Inu Yasha growled furiously. "Kagome, are you alright?"

"Inu Yasha, help." Kephren shot her an annoyed glance before turning his attention to the boy dressed in red.

"Get away from her!" the boy's anger was so intense that the air fairly vibrated with it.

Kephren heaved an long-suffering sigh, and moved away from her, rising to his feet. Immediately pulling her clothing together, the girl scampered away, darting behind Inu Yasha like a frightened rabbit.

Inu Yasha waited just long enough for Kagome to get clear before unleashing the power of Tetsusaiga.

The creature narrowed his eyes at the powerful wave of energy coming his way. Then to boy's disbelief the creature seemed to blur then vanish as it shot through Tetsusaiga's wave of energy. A black hand reached out seizing his throat as the creature suddenly appeared in front of him.

"It is a dangerous game you play, boy." Kephren said menacingly, tightening his grip as he lifted the half-breed off the ground.

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Blissfully unaware of the fight about to unfold between the creature, and his worthless brother, Sesshomaru sourly regarded the laughing human female. "This amuses you?" the demon did not sound amused.

"Just the idea, that Kephren being fond of you is a cause for distress; is _very_ funny." Thryss snickered, still grinning.

The demon lord scowled at the disrespectful female. Normally he would have cut down someone for such blatant show of disrespect, but for some inconceivable reason, he had no desire to disembowel her, yet.

Thryss closed the distance between them, stopping a hairs breath away from him. Mischief gleamed in her dark eyes as she tilted her head back to look up at him, "May I touch you?"

"What?" he asked, an incredulous expression appearing on his elegant features.

"May I touch you? You always complain that I touch you without permission; so I am asking. May I touch you?"

Sesshomaru regarded her suspiciously, an unwarranted feeling of alarm surfacing at the unexpected request. "Why do you wish to touch me?"

Thryss resisted the urge to roll her eyes, "Do I need a reason?"

"You may touch me." he relented stiffly, watching closely as she placed her hands on his chest. Sliding her fingers under the alien material that now replaced his white silk, she slowly ran her hands along the heavily corded muscles, an expression of fascination creeping into her eyes. The demon's gaze narrowed, wondering what she was up to as he observed the enthralled look on her face.

"What are you doing?" he asked as she continued to explore his chest.

"You are much different from the people of Talis. I just wanted to touch you." she answered, causing him to scowl some more.

"You wanted to_ feel_ me?" disbelief etched into his features.

Thryss nodded, bringing her hands up to his face. Before she could continue her exploration he caught her wrists.

"I thought you said I could touch you?"

"I did not give you permission to molest me." he said in annoyance.

"Molest?" she inquired blankly.

"You don't know the word?" When she shook her head he elaborated, "To take unwanted liberties."

"Oh." although she didn't appear to totally understand. "Then may I kiss you?"

"You may not." he said coldly, wanting to end this ludicrous conversation.

"Why not?"

Not bothering to answer any more inane questions, Sesshomaru wheeled around deciding it was time to leave.

"Do you fear to be kissed if you are not in control?"

Thryss watched as the demon came to an abrupt halt, his back stiffing at the insult. Whirling around he stalked back, gripping her arms, and lifting her off the ground. "Know your place." he snarled. Did she whimper or cry, like any other normal female on the planet would have? No, she laughed, causing the demon to glower menacingly at her.

Thyrss was having fun. Yes, it was at the demon's expense, but it wasn't her fault he was so amusing. "And what place might that be?" she asked politely.

He didn't answer, just scowled in displeasure. Still grinning, she inclined her head, positioning her mouth close to his, "Does your silence mean I have permission to kiss you?" she asked mischievously, closing the distance, and meeting his lips with hers. Sesshomaru growled in resignation pulling her closer, and responding to her kiss. Loosing the grip on her biceps, he moved his arms around her, pinning her to his body. Thryss happily curled her arms around his neck, burying her fingers into his long silvery-white hair.

Sesshomaru reflected that he couldn't remember anyone ever initiating any physical contact with him. No one had ever had the audacity to try such a dangerous thing. The unfamiliar action threw him a bit off balance, not to mention, he wasn't sure how to respond to someone teasing him out of affection. Strangely, he found he enjoyed it.

An explosion shook the ground, startling them. Looking in the direction of the sound, the demon had an unpleasant suspicion, "Isn't that the direction the creature went?" a feeling of dread coming over him.

Following his gaze, Thryss nodded, confirming his suspicion. Sesshomaru sighed against her neck, "I am cursed." he intoned. Thryss twisted her head, trying unsuccessfully to see his expression. Without another word, he called up his energy, lifting them off the ground.

"Where are we going?" Thryss asked, only to be met with silence.

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Inu Yasha gasped for breath, clawing at the impossibly strong grip. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Kagome watching fearfully, her hands covering her mouth. Without warning she she raced over, grabbing hold of the creatures unnaturally black arm.

"Please, don't hurt him." she begged, ignoring the boy's outraged expression.

Kephren's silver gaze slid away from the boy to regard her coldly, "It was not I who initiated this challenge."

"He was only protecting me!" Kagome cried frantically as she noticed her friend gasping for air.

The Talisian looked pointedly at the hand holding onto his arm. "Do not interfere."

"You better believe I am going to interfere! Of all the arrogant...I can't believe you!" Kagome glared up at him, so angry she was at loss for words.

"Kagome, get out of here." Inu Yasha rasped, his voice fraught with desperation. The intense power exuded by the creature was frightening, and he wasn't sure if he could defeat it.

Kephren cocked at brow at the boy, "Do you truly wish to challenge me? She is already mine. What do hope to accomplish?" Cool night air lifted the shimmering silver strands, exposing the coldly beautiful features of the Talisian. He reminded the school girl of an angel death, waiting to pull some unsuspecting soul into the depths of hell. Kagome's breath caught in her throat, an unreasoning fear taking hold her. Shaking off the unnerving chill, she hid her fear behind anger.

"What?!" the school girl sputtered. "What do mean _'She's already mine' _?"

Ignoring her entirely, Kephren met the boys golden eyes. "Well boy?"

"She ain't yours, or mine. Where do you get off saying something like that." Inu Yasha rasped, dangling from the death grip the Talisian had on his throat.

Kephren smiled cruelly, causing a chill to shiver along the boy's spine, "You are foolish boy." he said, abruptly dropping him, "You can't win against me."

Inu Yasha dropped to his knees, clutching his throat. Air burned through his abused lungs as he drew in breath. Lifting his head, he narrowed his eyes at the arrogant figure standing in front of. "You're going to regret underestimating me. Kagome, get out of the way!" he growled, climbing to his feet. Lifting his sword once more, he charged at the smug creature. The school girl wasted no time darting away, distancing herself from the oncoming fight.

"This is what I am not to underestimate?" Kephren muttered, as the boy blindly charged him. Shaking his head at the foolhardy attack, the Talisian extended his arm toward the boy, cupping his hand palm side up. Bringing the hand to his lips, he blew gently. Glittering black dust flew from his hand, forming a shimmering cloud directly in the path of the rapidly approaching figure in red.

Inu Yasha charged toward the waiting figure, wondering what the thing was doing blowing dust at him.

Deciding not to take any chances, the boy lifted his sword, intending to clear the path. He had just started to swing, when he was rudely caught by the scruff of his neck and hurled the opposite direction. Hitting the ground with a loud thud, he jumped up, spitting the dirt out of his mouth. Looking up, he gaped in disbelief. Standing between him and the creature, was Sesshomaru.

"Sessahomaru?! What's the big idea?" he exclaimed indignantly, glaring at his brother.

"Yes demon, _what is the big idea_?" Kephren said, echoing the boys indignant words as he recalled the black dust.

The demon lord, glared at both the creature and his brother, inwardly cursing the capricious fate that put him in this preposterous situation. "The fool is mine to kill, and mine alone." he stated expressionlessly. Kephren was regarding him with a decidedly disgruntled expression. Sesshomaru found himself wondering what his idiotic brother had done to annoy the creature.

"Yeah, well bring it on." Inu Yasha snarled, ready to fight them both.

"Inu Yasha, sit boy!" At the girls words, the enchanted beads around the boy's neck activated, slamming him into the ground. The resulting cloud of dust billowing up into the night sky. "Stay down, you idiot." she hissed at him

The disgruntled expression left Kephren's face with astonishing speed as he watched the boy slam into the dirt. Walking over curiously, he leaned down to address the grumbling figure in red, "Am I to not underestimate this also?" he inquired. One clawed hand popped out of the ground, giving him a rude sign. Reaching out, Kephren grasped the hand, examining the claws.

"Ahhh...why is it holding onto my hand?" the boy shrieked, trying to tug his hand away. Not an easy task, considering his face was still buried in the ground.

Glancing at the demon, the Talisian gave him a calculating look, "You're fond of this reckless child." he stated, delighted at murderous look that was now settling over the demon's features. "You must be more vigilant if you wish to keep this fool from harm." Kephren chided, releasing the hand, much to Inu Yasha's relief.

Growling angrily, Sesshomaru loosed his deadly whip with a flick of wrist, hoping to take the creature's annoying head off.

Easily catching the whip, Kephren grinned happily at the furious demon. "I was right, you are fond of him."

"You court death, fool." The demon hissed, retracting his whip.

Kephren dusted himself off as he rose to his feet, the angry grumbling still emanating from the ground catching his attention. Shaking his head sadly, he watched as the boy tried unsuccessfully to pull himself out of the dirt, "You really should do something about this." he remarked, indicating the struggling boy, "Its embarrassing."

The demon sighed in resignation, bringing a hand up to massage his aching temples. Why did he keep finding himself in these absurd situations? He once again contemplated the shambles his life had become since these two unwanted companions had arrived. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Thryss making her way toward the trembling human his worthless brother traveled with, and sighed again. It was getting to be a long day.

**Authors Note**: A little bit of fluffy silliness before the storm. Hope you enjoyed it.

**ColdHeartedVixen:** I'm afraid my reason for not including the rest of the group is pitiful. I don't want to mess up their characters. It was surprisingly difficult the first time I did Inu Yasha. So, I guess I am building up. Maybe next time I will get up the courage to attempt the rest of the group. You are quite right to pity Sesshomaru. Kephren likes to torment those he is fond of. :)

**onis-g:** Okay, no more mindreading! I read your review and couldn't believe you knew what I had planned! Either, I'm not sneaky enough, or some of my readers have unusual abilities. LOL. Thanks for reviewing, I am glad you are having fun following the story. Next time, I will try to surprise you. :)

**MissQuigley**: Oh yeah, Kagome is stressed! Kephren isn't to happy about having his entertainment taken away. You might want to throw a little pity in there for Sesshomaru, Kephren now has no stress relief. :)


	31. Chapter 31

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha

Chapter31: Imminent storm

Kogame gaped as Kephren _bantered_ fearlessly with Inu Yasha's vicious older brother. If she hadn't witnessed it, she never would have believed it. Engrossed in this unusual event, the school girl didn't notice the woman approaching her. Feeling eyes upon her, Kagome glanced to the side, then yelped, jumping backward.

"You scared me!" She gasped, placing a hand over her rapidly beating heart. "I didn't hear you."

The woman didn't answer, just quietly studied her. Empty dark eyes, met the school girl's, causing her to her to shiver slightly as the emotionless gaze settled on her face. Kagome cleared her throat, uneasily; this woman was seriously creepy, "Um...hi, my name is Kagome. I saw you with Sesshomaru, right? Are you traveling with him?" she rambled, trying to fill the uncomfortable silence.

Thryss studied the weak little creature in front of her; so this was a human. A human her companion had taken an interest in for some unknown reason. "What is it about you that arouses Keff's curiosity." she wondered, circling the girl.

Swallowing hard, Kagome tried not to tremble as the strange woman walked around her. she had been able to sense demonic energy for a while now, and while the woman in front of her was not a demon, she could feel powerful energy coming off her waves. The sheer intensity of it reminded her of Kephren, but that didn't make any sense, this woman was definitely human. Still, Kagome couldn't shake the feeling that those empty eyes hid a great deal..

"How pathetic." Thryss decided, as the human female continued to stare at her apprehensively.

"What?! Did you just call me pathetic?" Kagome said, anger starting to replace her uneasiness.

Reaching out, Thryss was stopped short by Kephren wrapping his arms around her, "Please, don't break my toy." he murmured softly, his lips brushing her ear.

"Toy?!" Kagome said dangerously, all her earlier fear replaced by outrage.

"Did you think that you could be anything else?" Thryss asked in genuine surprise.

Kagome opened and closed her mouth several times, before stomping over to where the boy in red was busy brushing off dust off his pants.

Thryss felt Kephren laugh quietly against her neck, "You are going to scare away my entertainment."

"You find that fragile creature interesting?" Thryss asked in disbelief.

The Talisian sighed dramatically, "I am _bored._" he complained. Cocking his head so that the silver hair slid over Thryss' shoulder, he leaned in close, "Perhaps you have tired of the demon?" he inquired hopefully, running the tip of tongue along her ear.

Thryss turned toward him, her lips tilting up slightly, "Poor Keff, you will have to fend for yourself for now. I have not yet tired of the demon."

Placing a dark finger against her cheek, he turned her head toward him, "Are you positive?" he murmured against her lips, "I am much more fun than the demon."

A clawed hand grasped Kephren's silver strands, abruptly pulling him back. Looking up he met said demon's angry glare, and smiled innocently.

"Have you no honor?" The demon lord demanded.

"I don't know." Kephren shrugged.

Flinging the creature aside with a disgusted sound, the demon announced, "We are leaving." Sighing in resignation, he turned to the creature, " I don't suppose you would like to stay behind, and indulge in that repulsive fascination you seem to have with humans."

Kephren gave him a sly grin, "What's wrong demon? Jealous?"

With an irritated growl, Sesshomaru summoned his demon energy, and extended a hand to Thryss. Glancing at the smirking the creature, he tried to dispel the feeling of doom that was descending over him as Thryss leaned against him comfortably.

Kephren watched their departing forms speculatively, "Oh yes, you are jealous, demon." he murmured.

Turning to the human girl, who was watching him nervously from behind the boy, The Talisian grinned, sauntering over to them. The boy lifted his sword threateningly, yet made no move to attack. Perhaps he was learning after all, Kephren mused.

"I fear, once again, you will have to wait." The Talisian remarked stopping in front of them.

"What's that supposed to mean?" demanded the boy.

Kephren sighed, "It means, fool, that I am going to let you live. For now." he said as an after thought.

The boy scoffed, resting the gigantic blade over his shoulder, "Yeah, yeah, whatever." he said dismissively, turning to leave, "Come on Kagome. Let's get out of here."

Kephren cocked his head curiously at the boy's departing back. The girl glanced back at him one last time, before trotting to catch up. It would appear the boy was actually learning; instead of stupidly challenging him again, he had wisely walked away.

"Hmm, apparently, even fools can learn, if given sufficient time." he remarked as made his way back toward camp, and the increasingly jealous demon. The Talisian grinned in anticipation.

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Rin sighed heavily as she watched the merrily crackling fire. Everybody had been gone for a long time, and she was getting lonely. Staring morosely into the flickering light, she was reminded of Nexus' eyes. It couldn't have been just a dream. Shehad_ felt_ his talons when he had lifted her off the ground. Rin lowered her eyes, looking blankly at the leaves covering the dirt in front of her. Nexus had been so sad, yet so angry, like he was striking out at everything around him in pain. Still, he hadn't hurt her, he had even helped her get back. _'I will lend you my strength_', what did that mean?

A rush of wind, blew the hair from her face. Smiling from ear to ear, she bounced up, running over, "Lord Sesshomaru, you're back!" she exclaimed excitedly.

"You are well?" The demon inquired politely, moving away from Thryss and seating himself by the fire.

"Yes, My Lord." Rin said happily, then glancing around, she asked, "Where is Kephren?"

The demon lord scowled, not answering.

"He will join us shortly." Thryss assured her, as the demon remained silent. Smiling slightly, she sat down beside him.

"What do think you are doing?" came the predictably arrogant question.

"Sitting by the fire."

The demon, looked down his nose at her, obviously contemplating her insolence. To Thryss' surprise, he didn't demand she move.

A moment later Kephren joined them, grinning impishly as the demon stiffened. Thryss smothered a laugh, Kephren had somehow managed to annoy Sesshomaru without even opening his mouth. He was getting good at this.

Unexpectedly, the demon was saved by Rin, who all but pounced on the Talisian. "What is it?" Kephren asked as she pulled him down beside her. "Is Thyrss still mad at you?" she whispered.

Cocking a silver eyebrow, he inquired "You were concerned?" Rin nodded vigorously.

"Do not fear, I am forgiven." to which Rin sighed in relief, causing the Talisian to cock his head as he regarded her.

"You wish to ask me something?" he prompted, sensing there was more she wanted to say.

Glancing at him uncertainly out of the corner of her eyes, she took a deep breath, "Do you really think what I saw in the mountain was just a dream?"

"Why do want to know?" he wondered.

"It was so real. I could feel the sharpness of Nexus' claws when he picked me up. You don't feel pain in dreams."

Kephren directed his attention back to the fire, the dancing light of the flames playing across the perfect lines of his face.

"There is the possibility that the past and present touched." Thryss suggested, drawing the demon's attention.

Sesshomaru's golden eyes, fixed on her, "How can past and present touch?" he queried.

"There are many dimensions that make up our universe, we only see three, with time being an invisible forth dimension." Thryss began, only to be stopped by the uncomprehending look settling on the demon's face.

"Dimensions?" he scowled.

"Don't try to figure it out demon. It's complicated." Kephren advised.

"Explain this." the demon commanded, ignoring the Talisian entirely.

Thryss tapped a finger against her lip; picking up a slender, flat stone she held it to the fire, so that the side that was illuminated formed a thin line, "Dimension are what are used to determine the scope of the space around us. The side touched by the fire, which forms a straight line, would be considered one dimensional." She tuned the rock so that light now hit the broad flat side, "This side, where you can see both the width and length is considered two dimensional." She set the rock on the ground, so that the entire thing was visible, "And, when I set the rock back on the ground when you can see all the sides, which gives it shape and depth, that is called three dimensional." She looked up to find she had confused the demon once again.

Kephren laughed at the demon's confounded expression, "Give it up, you can't teach those kind of theories to an animal."

Sesshomaru leaned forward, picking up the rock she had demonstrated with. He stared at it for a few moments before inquiring, "Dimensions make up all that we see around us?"

"Basically, we can only see three dimensions. There are at least eight additional dimensions that we can not see. Strangely, we only see about 10 of everything that surrounds us." Thryss elaborated.

The demon scowled at the rock, "Continue."

"The fourth dimension is time; past, present, and future." she paused, then proceed as the demon nodded, "If a wormhole were to open, it would create a passage between dimensions." now he was frowning again.

"Wormhole?" he said skeptically.

From the demon's confused expression, she decided to leave out the mechanics of a wormhole which included things like rotating gravitational fields, as it might be a bit much for him to grasp. Seeing a piece of dried bambo nearby, she pick it up, holding it in front of her, "A wormhole works like this hollowed out piece of wood," she began, hiding a smile as the demon's eyebrows shot up at her example. "When a wormhole is opened it has a strong pull, called a gravitational field, which pulls in and propels whatever is nearby through the wormhole." She demonstrated by placing the wood between her lips, and breathing in while holding a piece of grass at the opposite end. As soon as she inhaled the grass shot into the wooden cylinder. Removing the wood from between her lips, she showed the grass was now clenched in her teeth. "The opposite end of the wormhole then ejects the object into the next dimension."

"Then how would one return?" he inquired with a furrowed brow.

"Oh, you just reverse the gravity."

"This sounds like the ravings of a madman." Sesshomaru said shaking his head. She had lost him after the third dimension, but he wasn't about to admit it with the creature intently watching him, just waiting for an opportunity to pounce on his lack of understanding.

"What it comes down to is that if there was a wormhole generated by the vines, Rin may have been able to travel between times, returning here at the same moment she left. It makes sense it would seem like a dream, but she was in the citadel, which can generate the necessary energy for a wormhole." Thryss explained.

"Possible, but unlikely." Kephren put in.

"Why unlikely?" Thryss inquired, transferring her gaze to him.

"What possible reason would the citadel have to generate a wormhole?" Kephren replied.

Sesshomaru suddenly realized what Thryss had been suggesting, "You think that Rin was sent back on purpose?"

Thryss nodded, "Yes, I believe so, but I don't know why." she admitted.

Kephren shot a glance to the demon, "You do realize demon, that if what she says is true..." he paused for dramatic effect, "we are related."

Sesshomaru looked as if he had swallowed something extremely bitter as he slowly turned to regard the creature, "There is no possibility that there is any common blood between myself, and a fool such as you."

Kephren grinned, sidling closer, causing the demon to scowl in displeasure, "Just think of it, we could bond, enjoy each others company, I could be like the brother you have never had." he suggested, waiting in anticipation for the demon's reaction. He didn't have to wait long.

Sesshomaru leapt across the fire, grabbing him by the throat, which of course, only caused the creature to smile wider, throughly enjoying the demon's rage. "See," he said, "We are bonding already."

"Why can't I kill you?" the demon asked in frustration, as the poison he had released from his claws ran harmlessly down the creatures throat.

The Talisian's eyes narrowed, his grin turning cold, "Because you haven't the strength to destroy one such as myself."

A distant rumbling drew the demon's attention. Setting the creature down, he narrowed his eyes, studying the evening sky. The previously starlit expanse had gone completely dark, blotting out the light of the moon. Something about the air didn't feel right. As he stared into the darkness, the wind kicked up, lifting the demon's heavy pale hair away from his face. Lightening crackled across the sky, illuminating unnatural looking clouds mottled with a dark-purplish color as though the sky itself had been bruised. He felt Kephren move to stand beside him, strangely silent, as he stared into the darkness.

Without warning, the wind gusted violently, nearly bending the surrounding trees in half. The demon darted over to Rin, grabbing hold of the child as the wind began to lift her from the ground. Glancing down, he saw her gasping for breath. Turning her around so that she faced him, he buried the child's face in his chest to block out some of the wind, allowing her to breath.

Silver hair tossing wildly, Kephren made his way over to Thryss. Sensing the Talisian's presence, she met his gaze, her face an expressionless mask. Seeing the hard set of her face, Sesshomaru realized something was very wrong. Kephren motioned for them to follow him, his voice lost in the roaring storm. Bracing himself against the powerful winds that howled around them, the demon made his way over to where Kephren had indicated. Following the Talisian inside the mouth of the cave, Sesshomaru recognized it as the one they had entered earlier. Once they were all inside, Thryss placed a barrier of energy, shielding them from the growing storm.

Sesshomaru set the child down, looking to the Talisians for an explanation.

Thryss watched silently as the storm intensified. A tree three feet in diameter snapped, making the ground shake violently as it slamming into the earth. Turning away from the building tempest, she addressed the demon.

"They are opening the gate. By this time tomorrow, all life on this world will cease to exist." she said in a voice devoid of all emotion.

**Author's Note:** Almost done! Well, I'm getting there anyways. My nerd had to do some research on wormholes and dimensions. It was surprising how interesting it was. Hope you liked it.

**06-Lost-In-Eternal-Bliss-15:** Thanks for reviewing. Its nice to know that others like the way I think! You know, I have had quite a few readers take a liking Kephren, which is very cool, considering he is an original character. :)

**Rhetorical-Ducky**: Rather ironically, my family didn't like the last chapter very much. I thought it was funny, so it is nice to know that my sense of humor is not alone. :)

**Missing'Nin'Akiko: **Thanks for the compliment. I am glad your enjoying this, I aim to please. I probably should enjoy it as much as I do, but I love that Kephren is an interesting enough character to be mentioned in a review. :)

**MissQuigley**: Fluffy was fun, but I think is time for a little chaos and destruction. I just love end-of-the-world stuff. Just in case you couldn't tell, and yes, you can pity Kephren. The poor soul is bored, which always bodes ill for Sesshomaru. :)

**onis-g: **Don't apologize! I am thrilled that you like this story enough to try and figure it out. It challenges me, which I need. Like you, I love to read, although I am afraid that when it come to figuring things out, I am one of those poor unfortunate people who couldn't solve the Scooby-Doo mysteries. So you can see what I am up against! :)


	32. Chapter 32

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha

Chapter 32 Waiting

Kagome stopped suddenly, looking up at the darkening sky. Lightening flashed, illuminating the school girl's pale features as she watched dark purplish clouds spread rapidly across the night sky.

"Inu Yasha." Kagome's quiet voice carried easily across the eerily silent forest.

"What?" the boy asked, without even bothering to turn around.

"Have you ever seen clouds like that?" she asked, a frown furrowing her brow.

"Huh?"

"The clouds, Inu Yasha! Are you going to tell me you didn't notice?" the school girl stood, hands on hips, foot tapping impatiently against the ground.

"What are you yapping about now?"

"You're hopeless." she sighed, shaking her head. "Look." she pointed up, directing his attention toward the unnaturally dark clouds.

Inu Yasha tilted his head back with an aggravated sigh, then went abruptly still. Sniffing the air, his face took on an alarmed expression, "Kagome, we need to find shelter, now!" Scooping her up, the boy took off in the direction of some caves in the side of the mountain.

"What's wrong?" Kagome squeaked in surprise as he literally through her over his shoulder and raced for the mountain.

"I don't know, but there is something unnatural about the air. Something is _really_ wrong."

"Like what?" Kagome wondered.

"I can't explain it, I just know that we need to take cover."

The school girl frowned. Inu Yasha almost sounded frightened. She had seen her friend in any number of dangerous situations, but it was unusual to hear fear in his voice; anger, irritation, sarcasm, even bravado, but not fear. This more than anything else, scared her.

They were racing at break neck speed toward the mountain when the wind hit them. Inu Yasha bent forward, trying to push his way through the ferociously gusting winds. Kagome slid around to his back, hanging on for dear life as the gale force winds buffeted them. Burying her head in his back, she gasped for breath, the wind was so strong it was difficult to breath.

"Kagome, are you all right?" the girl's grip had loosened and she was slowly sliding from his back. Reaching over his shoulder, Inu Yasha grabbed hold of her, pulling her in front of him. She wasn't breathing.

"Kagome?" he turned her around, pressing her face into his chest. After what seemed like an eternity, he heard her take a breath. "Hang on just a little longer." he pleaded, struggling to control the panic bubbling up inside of him. He took off, fighting in the direction of the mountain, the trip made unbearably slow by the relentless force of the storm.

He was nearly to the mountain when the sky seemed to open up, pouring out the full force of its fury. Torrential rain, beat at the boy as he approached the base of the mountain. A huge tree uprooted in front of him, and slammed into the ground. Water rushed down the hillside, taking anything in its way along with it. Inu Yasha leaped across the raging flood waters, avoiding the tree that was carried along like so much debris. Leaping from rock to rock, he made his way slowly up the side of the mountain.

White hair whipping around him, Inu Yasha staggered the last few steps, falling to his knees at the entrance of the cave. He bent his head over Kagome, gasping for breath while water ran off his hair and down his face. The storm had made it all but impossible to draw breath. Growling, he struggled to feet, refusing to accept defeat.

"Almost there." he rasped. The mouth of the cave seemed to shimmer faintly. The boy wondered if he was hallucinating. With one last excruciating step, he fell through the shimmering haze and into the cave.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The storm intensified as the wind roared outside the cave. Thryss' shield afforded them protection from the wind, but didn't block the sound. Sesshomaru watched as hundred foot tall trees were uprooted under the relentless force of the wind. Leaves, dirt, rocks, and branches were tossed about as though they were weightless. Then came the rain. The sky darkened further, a thing the demon had thought impossible. Rumbling ominously, lightening sparked across the clouds as the dark expanse seemed to open up, pouring out its fury. The torrential deluge rushed down the mountain, taking the rocks and trees with it.

A shadow staggered toward them, falling in front of the cave. Thryss cocked her head curiously, her eyes widening in surprise as Sesshomaru's younger brother fought his way back to his feet, and walked slowly toward them. Thryss thinned her shield, allowing him to stumble into the cave, falling in a heap at her feet.

Sesshomaru, who had been standing behind Thyrss, mulling over her words concerning the end of the world, was rudely pulled from his thoughts by the arrival of the half-breed, dripping water all over the ground.

"Wha...Sesshomaru? What are you doing here?" Inu Yasha asked blearily, shaking the water from his eyes.

The demon lord scowled in disgust, "I believe I should ask you the same."

"Kagome!" scrambling to his knees, the boy revealed the still body of the girl, her dark hair plastered to her cheeks. Pushing the hair away, Inu Yasha leaned closer, "Kagome!" he called again, shaking her. Pressing his ear to her chest, he cried, "She isn't breathing!"

"Move." Kephren said as he rose from where he had been seated against the cave wall, coming to stand behind the boy.

Inu Yasha glanced up, startled at the dark shadow looming behind him. When he continued to remain where he was, staring mulishly up at the Talisian, Kephren simply kicked him out of the way. Falling in an ungainly heap, Inu Yasha jumped to his feet, ready to fight, only to find the creature kneeling beside Kagome.

"Humans are delicate, fool, why didn't you seek shelter?" Kephren demanded, lifting Kagome up so that she was leaning against him.

"Will she be okay?"

Kephren ignored the question as he placed a hand against the girl's back, sending a little energy through her. Kagome coughed violently, her body spasming as she gulped in air. Shaking violently with cold, she opened her eyes, to find it was not Inu Yasha who held her.

"Kagome?" the boy's worried voice drew her attention.

'What happened? How did we end up here?" she asked, her eyes traveling up the smooth black expanse of Kephren's skin, to meet his silver eyes.

"The boy brought you." Kephren answered.

"I'm cold." Kagome said through blue lips.

Kephren noted the girl's skin had a blueish cast to it, and her teeth were chattering uncontrollably.

"Here, I'll take her." Inu Yasha held out his hands.

"You've done enough." Kephren informed him coldly. Picking up Kagome, he carried her over to where he had been sitting.

Inu Yasha watched helplessly as the creature gently cradled his friend. She looked so frail. His first instinct had been to prevent the creature from touching her, but the boy felt responsible. She had nearly died because he had not been able to protect her. Inu Yasha slumped dejectedly against the wall of cave, helpless to do anything but watch. A small hand touched his, glancing down, he saw the child that had been traveling with his brother. She curled her small fingers around his, staring at the ground, "Don't worry, Kephren will take care of her." she said softly.

"That's what I'm afraid of." he muttered.

Kagome had never been so cold in her entire life. It hadn't been that cold earlier, but when it began to rain the temperature had dropped substantially. Water dripped from her hair, running down Kephren's arm, though he didn't seem to mind. Black fingers curled around her, pulling her closer. She rested her head against his shoulder, too tired and cold to care what he did to her.

"You are still cold?" Kephren's voice broke into her thoughts. Looking up, she met his gaze silently, then dropped her head to his shoulder, closing her eyes.

Kephren cocked a silver eyebrow at her silence, "It must be dire indeed for you to be so compliant. I will have to do something about this." he said cryptically. To Kagome's amazement, the air around her got gradually warmer. Steam rose from her hair as the water evaporated. Sighing in contentment as the bone chilling cold began to abate, Kagome relaxed against against his smooth hard muscles.

"Better?"

Kagome's eyes shot to his, "That was you?"

Kephren looked at her in askance.

"It was, wasn't it? The air, you heated the air."

"When you ceased complaining, I realized that something had to be done." he agreed.

"How did you heat the air?" she asked.

Kephren shrugged, not caring to explain. Kagome glared at him in annoyance, "Why is it that when I ask you something, you don't answer? Do you know how annoying that is?"

Kephren grinned, "It would seem you are feeling better."

"How is it you came to be here?" Sesshomaru asked, the sound of the demon's voice causing the school girl to stiffen in alarm. The few times she had been exposed to her friend's violent older brother, there had always been blood shed.

"We were heading back to join the others when the storm hit. Inu Yasha sensed there was something wrong and brought us here. I guess it must have been the safest place he could get to quickly." she said nervously, avoiding the demon's unnerving golden eyes.

"You fear the demon?" Kephren asked, watching her curiously.

The demon snorted derisively, "Unlike you, the human has some basic intelligence."

Kagome glanced up uneasily from beneath her lashes. Kephren showed no fear what-so-ever. In fact, he was so busy watching her, he was all but ignoring Sesshomaru.

"You are a fragile little thing," Kephren remarked, "Even the boy is probably capable of frightening you." Kephren tilted his head back to meet the demon's golden gaze, "At last, someone who fears you demon."

Kagome watched in disbelief as Sesshomaru muttered something under his breath and walked away! Transferring her gaze to Kephren, she asked, "You aren't afraid him?"

"Why would I fear the demon?"

"Why? Oh, because he could rip you to shreds without a second thought, or he could melt you, or any other number of hideous things."

"He tried, it failed spectacularly" he murmured his silver eyes following the demon's retreating form. "It was quite amusing."

"You're kidding." Kagome said, regarding him skeptically.

Kephren tilted his head at the unfamiliar phrase, "I don't believe so."

"Why are you with traveling him? You don't exactly seem like friends."

"I assure you, it wasn't my idea." Kephren said sourly.

Kagome twisted her head, studying the storm that was raging just outside the cave, "Something about this storm doesn't seem natural."

Thryss crouched down in front of them, her dark gaze resting thoughtfully on the girl's face. "How long have you traveled with the boy?"

"Inu Yasha? Oh, I think it's been over a year now. How come?" Kagome wondered.

"Do you know her?" Thryss asked Rin, who was still sitting by Inu Yasha.

Rin nodded, "She travels with my lord's brother. I have met her once or twice. She has always been kind to me."

"I do not remember you." Thryss remarked, staring at Kagome.

"Why would you remember me? The first time I saw you was a few days ago." Kagome said, her dark brows drawing together.

"Your memories are shadowed, there may be much you do not remember." Kephren reminded Thryss.

Thryss nodded, and rose to her feet, returning to Sesshomaru's side.

Kagome watched in astonishment as the woman walked fearlessly up to Sesshomaru. The school girl blinked in amazement. Who was this woman, who dared to approach a demon so deadly that even his own kind feared him? Kagome's thoughts were brought to a screeching halt, as she felt Kephren's fingers sliding along the skin at the edge of her skirt.

"What are you doing?" she demanded, outraged at his unacceptable behavior.

"Your clothes are different from the others I have seen." he said, feeling the green cotton.

"Well that's hardly surprising considering that these clothes won't be manufactured for almost five hundred years." she said dryly.

"Five hundred years?" Intense silver eyes caught hers.

"Yeah, I traveled here through the bone eater's well." she said. Seeing the incomprehension in his silver eyes, she explained, "The bone eater's well allows me to travel between times. I come from nearly five hundred years in the future."

Kephren leaned back in shock. A time traveler! His gaze shot to Thryss who had whirled around at the girl's statement, meeting his gaze with equal shock. Looking back to the girl, who was watching him intently, he said softly, "I owe you a debt of gratitude."

Kagome stared at him in puzzlement. Kephren smiled, pulling her close, pressing his lips against her throat, "You have given me hope." he murmured, which only deepened Kagome's baffled expression.

Thryss sucked in her breath, suddenly realizing why she hadn't remembered the girl. In her world, there had been no future from which to travel from. Kagome wouldn't have existed. If this was true, it meant that their presence here may have turned the tides. Now the only question was how? Relief washed over her, as hope bloomed within her. Reaching out, she took hold of the demon's arm, earning an annoyed glance.

"We have some time until the gate closes, come with me." she said, tugging at his arm, and directing his attention toward the back of the cave.

Sesshomaru scowled, wondering what she was up to this time. Still, he no objection to accompanying her. Thryss took him deeper into the cave, putting some distance between them and the others. Although there was hope they might succeed, it was by no means guaranteed they would survive the coming battle. Thyrss wanted to enjoy what little time they might have.

Deeming they were far enough away, Thryss turned around, wrapping her arms around the demon lord's waist. Thryss grinned as she immediately felt him stiffen in indignation. Her smile widened; despite his obvious exasperation at the liberty she was taking with his person, he failed to remove her offending arms.

"What is it about me, that makes you continually disrespect my person?" he inquired stiffly.

"Perhaps, I like the feel of your skin." she murmured into his chest. She felt him heave a sigh, then encircle her within his arms. He would never do so around the others. Thryss had come to realize that it was possible he might never get over his obsessive protection of his personal space. So she had separated him from the others, giving him the opportunity to loosen up a bit.

"May I kiss you?" she asked, causing him to roll his eyes upward, and hiss in irritation.

"You may not." he answered arrogantly, then leaned down to capture her lips.

"I thought you said I couldn't kiss you." she laughed.

"And as I have told you before, I have no such limitations." he informed her pompously. Moving away from her, he lowered himself to the ground, leaning against the wall. "Come." he commanded, holding out one black clawed hand. Thryss grinned as she took the proffered hand, allowing herself to be pulled down beside him.

"Why did the girl's talk of the bone eater's well interest you?" Sesshomaru inquired, drawing her against him.

"In my past, she did not exist, because there was no future. If what she says is true, it means that there must be a future for her to come from."

Sesshomaru rested his chin on top of her hair, "Suggesting that we will be able to stop the attack." he reasoned.

"Yes, that would be my thought." Thryss sighed in relief. The thought of failing, and losing everything she valued for a second time had weighed heavily on her.

Sesshomaru threaded his claws through her silky locks, absently enjoying the feeling. "This storm will end when the gate closes?"

Thryss nodded, happily curling up against him as he ran his fingers through her hair. She wanted to rest before the coming fight, but until now she had never felt at ease sleeping around anyone other than Kephren. Tilting her head back, she considered how odd it was she felt at ease with him. Feeling her eyes on him, Sesshomaru looked down, meeting her gaze. Freeing his claws from her hair, he traced the curve of her lips. He found himself feeling remarkably at peace, an unusual state for him to be in.

Thryss started slightly, when he lifted her up, turning her around so that she straddled his hips, facing him. She noted that the aggression he normally displayed was conspicuously absent, and wondered at the change. When he cupped her face in his hands, and leaned down to kiss her, Thryss couldn't contain her amazement.

"What?" he asked, irritation edging his voice.

"Your not being aggressive."

"And this is a problem?" he inquired, pulling back to regard her in exasperation.

Thryss laughed at his put out expression, "No, just unusual. I like it very much."

The demon gave a long suffering sigh, and leaned down once more, making a slight grumbling noise as he felt her hand under his shirt.

"This will be incredibly difficult if you keep grouching every time I touch you." Thryss snickered. "Am I permitted to touch you or not?"

Sesshomaru leaned back, looking down his elegant nose at her, "Very well, you may enjoy my person for this evening." he condescended.

Thryss snorted, covering her mouth with her hands, and leaned forward to bury her face in his shirt.

"I fail to see what you find so amusing."

Her only answer was another muffled snort. The demon sighed and allowed himself a small self-deprecating smile that she couldn't see. Despite what she though, the demon was well aware of his personality quirks.

"Are you quite recovered?" he inquired sourly when she continued to giggle.

Thryss looked up, her eyes full of laughter. Reaching up, she cupped his face, pulling him down to her.

Long pale hair sliding across her arm, as he leaned down. Sliding her hands down to his shoulder, she pushed to the black fabric down his arms. She still couldn't get over the fact that the armor allowed itself to be removed like regular clothing.

Sesshomaru pulled back as she ran her hands over the hard muscles of his chest. He watched in some amusement as she explored the skin that stretched across his collar bone, and down his arm. "What do you find so interesting?"

"You are so different from the people of Talis." she told him, momentarily pausing in her exploration to look up at him.

"Not that I don't understand you awe at my magnificent form, but I believe I desire a bit more of your attention." he said as his hands moved down to her hips.

"How do you do that?" Thryss demanded as her armor obligingly moved out of the way.

"Perhaps your armor knows your desires better than you do." he suggested working his way down.

"You could be right." Thryss gasped as his fingers slid between her legs.

Sesshomaru smirked to himself at how easily she responded to him. He took his time, enjoying the feel of her skin, the responsiveness of her body. It wasn't often that he simply enjoying being with someone, and he savored the unfamiliar feeling. Sometime later, he laid down with Thryss curled contentedly against him, considering what would be the best way to rid himself of the creature. The possibility that it might want to stick around if Thryss was here, was not acceptable. The demon lord drifted off to sleep with pleasant thoughts of permanently ridding himself of the unwanted pest.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Kephren sighed as Thryss disappeared deeper into the cave with the demon. The Talisian mentally kicked himself once more for following her into the rift. What had he been thinking? Kephren was by no means a youth, and well aware of the possible repercussions of entering a rift. A fact which made it all the more baffling that he had placed himself in danger for the sake of another. His silver brows drew together in consternation, it had been a_ very _untalisian-like thing to do. Maybe he was older than he remembered. It wasn't like him to do such a foolish thing.

A soft yawn pulled Kephren from his musings. The girl was resting against him trustingly. A foolish thing to do. Still, she had no way of knowing what kind of creature he was, and for the moment he didn't mean her any harm.

"I think Inu Yasha is asleep." she murmured drowsily.

"I care not." Kephren said tracing her cheek with a dark finger.

Kagome giggled, "You should, Inu Yasha gets so jealous."

The Talisian's lips tilted up at her amused expression. Her dark eyes were half closed as she sleepily regarded him.

"You shouldn't trust so easily." he informed her as he moved the finger to her smiling lips.

"I know, but I can't seem to stop myself. I like people."

"I am not a person." he said softly, tilting his head.

Kagome watched mesmerized as the gleaming silver hair fell forward, catching the faint light. Not bothering to pay attention to the Talisian's warning, she gave into temptation, capturing the slick strands in her hands.

"You have the coolest hair." she whispered enviously.

"You also allow yourself to be distracted too easily." he noted dryly, watching as she threaded her fingers though his hair.

Kagome giggled, feeling a bit foolish. She was warm and comfortable, and therefore feeling rather daring. "What _exactly_ are you? And please, answer me this time."

"I am dark world." Kephren answered, deciding to indulge her.

"Is that far from here?" Kagome frowned. She had never heard of that before.

"That would be a safe assessment."

"Not exactly a fount of information are you?" she yawned.

Kephren cocked an eyebrow, as she leaned heavily against him, dark lashes resting on her cheeks.

"You wouldn't want me to answer your questions. You wouldn't like my answers." he said quietly to the girls sleeping form.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Kagome awoke to find Kephren standing at the mouth of the cave, looking up at the morning sky. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she clambered to her feet, curious to see what he was doing. Still yawning as she reached the mouth of the cave, she stretched, then looked up to see what had captured his attention. A strangled breath caught in her throat.

"What is that?" she whispered.

"Those are the armies of Talis." Kagome jumped at the sound of the woman's voice coming from behind her.

"Talis?" Only silence greeted the school girl's query. She didn't need to look around to know that the rest of the group had joined her, and were now staring at the rapidly darkening sky.

It reminded Kagome of a swarm of bees, as the dark mass spread across the sky as far as the eye could see. Total silence greeted the widening mass, as though the earth itself waited in trepidation. Kagome had heard of unnatural silences, but experiencing it was something totally different. It was unnerving; no birds, no insects, nothing, just a chilling absence of sound.

The mass grew darker, denser, blocking out the light of the sun. As she watched, the mass began to separate into thin tendrils that spread out in all directions.

Kephren walked out of the cave, holding up his hand. A shining black bird-like creature appeared on the tips of his fingers. With a flick of his wrist the thing took off, flying toward the ever growing black mass.

"What did he do?" It was Sesshomaru who voiced the question.

"Kephren's armor will carry a demand for challenge to Astarte." Thryss answered.

Still facing away, Kephren addressed Kagome, "Return to the cave and remain with the boy. This is not a fight you can win."

Kagome swallowed, fear bubbling up inside of her. She almost didn't recognize the hard, cold voice coming from Kephren. For once, she didn't argue as she high-tailed it back into the cave.

Kephren turned to regard Thryss and Sesshomaru as they joined him, "It will take some time for my challenge to make it to the Foremost." his lips twisted into a humorless smile, "Now all we have to do is hold the armies at bay until she accepts my challenge."

**Authors Note:** Another chapter I swore to myself was going to be short. Oh well. Did you like this chapter? Let me know.

**Mistress Ayako:**Your back! Hope you had fun. In answer to your question, I think there will be 3 – 4 chapters left for this story. When Kephren was tormenting Sesshomaru about being related, he meant by common ancestry (They both carry the blood of the ancients.). In regards to time travel, don't forget this is not Thryss' past, but an alternate one they entered. The reason for using the alternate past is exactly for the reason you mentioned. There were _way_too many problems with having Thryss change her own past. When I originally checked on time travel, the most common theory I came across was that if you were able to travel back in time, you would create an alternate future from the time you arrived, because it would be impossible to change your own past. Theoretically this should allow you to be able to be in the same place as your alternate self. At least that was the basic idea I used, with a little twist. Thanks for the review, I love to hear from you!

**Frangiani: **Thanks for reviewing. Yeah, it's the end of the world! I just love the chaos and madness that comes with global destruction. To tell the truth, I like Kephren too, he is such fun to write about. Oh yes, research is good. I have to look up how to spell the name of Inu Yasha's sword every time! I should just write it on a sticky note, and be done with it!

**Rhetorical-Ducky:** Nope, the storm ends with the closing of the gate, of course you probably figured that out by now. :) Stay with me, cause I'm not done yet!

**06-Lost-In-Eternal-Bliss-15:**Hmm, proud, relieved is probably a better word. LOL It's risky when you veer off from the story line. The funny thing is, originally I wasn't going to bring Kephren back with Thryss, he just sort of insisted on coming! I am glad I listened.

**ColdHeartedVixen: **Phew! I thought maybe I lost you, but yeah, your back! By-the-way, Kephren has inquired about his shrine. Is it dust free? Kephren said to tell you not to worry about Sesshomaru, he is just playing with him, and has NO, that's right, NO plans on killing or otherwise maiming the demon. Really.


	33. Chapter 33

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha

Chapter 33 Survival

Thryss studied the massing armies, silently estimating how much time they had. The first wave was heading toward them now. A slender thread of black separated from the mass, stretching out into an elongated 'V' formation; followed immediately by a second 'V' formation, then a third, forth, and fifth. This formation was repeated until it filled her line of vision. Thryss heard Sesshomaru breath in sharply as he started to comprehend the sheer numbers they were facing.

"We need to extend our shields around the mountain." Thryss said, turning to Kephren.

The Talisian nodded in agreement as he extended his hands in front of him, palms facing out. Kephren's expressionless face, unnerved the demon. They had been in danger many times, but Sesshomaru had never seen him like this, which only emphasized how dire their situation was.

A shimmering black haze gathered in front of Kephren, expanding outward until it surrounded the entire mountain. The cold silver gaze slid over to Thryss, "I will keep the barrier in place while you focus on deflecting the attack." Thryss acknowledged the command, and proceeded to concentrate on the barrier Kephren had in place.

"What are you doing?" The demon lord asked, coming to her side.

"I need to be in tune with Keff's shield. The first wave of attack consists of a high frequency sound which sends tremors through the ground. Although it will cause considerable damage, it is the second wave we need to deflect." Thyrss answered, focusing on the surrounding energy.

"Attack with sound? What is the purpose of that?" the demon inquired, frowning.

"It loosens and creates fissures, so the when the second attack follows, it is able to destroy not only the surface life, but the subsurface life as well." she answered, her eyes narrowing as she concentrated on saturating Kephren's shield with her energy.

Sesshomaru felt a sudden spike in power. The demon's eyes widened as the air around him crackled and sparked with energy. The dust stirred, lifting off the ground as the powerful force whirled around them, building in intensity. As the energy continued growing, the air took on a dark purplish color. Then in a sudden burst, the energy shot outward merging with Kephren's glittering black shield.

The demon's next query died in his throat as the first wave came into view. A line of slender black objects descended, hovering above the treeline. They resembled a folded piece of paper that had been tapered at one end, with the folded side pointing down. Slowly, methodically the line moved toward them, holding the 'V' formation. A strange sound somewhere between a buzzing and humming filled the air. The ground began to vibrate. Sesshomaru fought to keep his feet under him as the vibration intensified. A loud crash, drew his attention. The land outside the shield began to shake violently. Trees toppled, rocks cracked, then crumbled. Small fissures spidered across the ground, stopping at the barrier of energy the Talisians were holding up.

As the black line drew closer, Sesshomaru was able to make out the shapes more clearly. The black shapes seemed to be some kind of conveyance. The demon's golden eyes narrowed as he inspected the black objects. They weren't exactly black, despite how dark they appeared. It would be more correct to say they seemed to absorb the light, their absence of color creating the illusion of darkness.

Thryss gritted her teeth, concentrating on the barrier as the ships passed over head. The high frequency attack sent vibrations through the barrier, savagely tearing at the Talisians. Glancing over, Thryss watched as Kephen clenched his teeth, fighting against the assault. Wave after wave passed over them with agonizing slowness. Thryss lost track of time as she struggled to hold the barrier in place. After what seemed like hours, the first wave finally passed over, allowing them a short respite. The attack had caused a great deal of dust to be stirred up as it had weakened the land. As the dust settled, they were able to see the extent of the damage. A stunned gasp from the demon drew Thryss' gaze. Following his line of sight, she too sucked in a breath at the wide spread destruction. Although she had been involved in countless onslaughts like this one, she had never stopped and observed the process in

detail. Oh, she understood the mechanics, but had never had the desire to simply stand back and watch.

It reminded Sesshomaru of when a typhoon came ashore, leaving nothing but destruction in its wake. Trees lay in tangled masses. Small cracks had widened into deep crevasses. The bodies of animals were strewn about, caught in the tangled branches of fallen trees, or buried under the rocks, and boulders which lay in shattered ruins all around them. Nothing remained intact. Nothing. A sickening feeling settled over the demon. Thryss had said this was only the first wave. The second was the one they were concerned about.

"Demon." the sound of Kephren's strained voiced surprised Sesshomaru. Walking over he met the Talisian's hard silver eyes. To Sesshomaru's amazement he saw what looked to be stress marring the Talisian's perfect features.

"The next attack will blanket the land with intense heat, which sears the surface, effectively clearing the ground." Kephren paused, his hands shaking a bit from the stress of the prolonged assault, "Thryss will reflect their attack back at them, which may buy us some time. You control black fire. If my shield begins to weaken before the challenge is answered, you may be able to use the fire against the ships by aiming it to the point where Thryss reflects the attack. The energy of the attack should act as a magnet to the fire, carrying it back to the ships, only magnified."

"Should?" Sesshomaru inquired skeptically.

"There is no guarantee it will work. I have never seen one of our attacks successfully deflected. I am strong, but this is only the beginning. My strength will eventually fail." Kephren sighed, an uncharacteristic expression of regret lurking in the silver eyes.

Under any other circumstance, Sesshomaru would have enjoyed the desperation he sensed in the Talisian, but not now. A low rumbling, followed by an explosive roar jerked the demon's head around. A wall of fire, resembling lava, was slowly approaching them. Even from this distance the demon could feel the scorching heat. Never in his long life had he seen anything remotely like it. The hair on the back of his neck stood up as fear clawed at him.

Thryss held her shield in place, waiting. As the wall of molten heat reached them, she caught the first wall, successfully reflecting it back. Fire shot, like a geyser, into the sky. Half of the initial line, shattered explosively as the heat hit it. Suppressing a triumphant shout, she concentrated on reinforcing the shield. They were far from done.

Thryss successfully reflected nearly a hundred attacks, before she felt Kephren's shield start to weaken. Immediately Thryss transferred her energy into Kephren's barrier, supporting him. As she mingled her energy with his, an intense wave of heat slammed into her, nearly knocking her to the ground. Looking to Kephren, she realized she had only absorbed a portion of the blow, her companion was taking the rest. Sesshomaru stood beside him, an expression of disbelief on his handsome features. Thryss' eyes widened as her gaze settled on Kephren. His black skin was glowing white hot like molten metal. He couldn't keep this up much longer. As she synchronized her energy with his, she could feel him rapidly weakening, and there was no sign of Astarte. In a state of horror, Thryss watched as Kephren fell to his knees, large cracks appearing in his barrier. Scorching heat starting seeping through, searing the ground around them. As she began to absorb more of the heat, Thryss panicked, realizing she couldn't hold the barrier by herself.

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Rin huddled in the back of the cave, her small hands covering her face. Too scared to cry, she shrank back against the wall of the cave as if she were trying to push herself into the rock. A sharp cracking sound made her head jerk up, her vision focusing on Kephren. A strangled sound of distress escaped her lips as she watched the Talisian collapse under the strain of holding up the shield. His body glowed white hot from the heat that had been seeping through the barrier. His face twisted as he fought to control the weakening energy. A look of alarm suddenly crossed his face as he looked over to Thryss. Rin watched wide-eyed as his skin cooled, returning to its normal black, steam rising off him as his body temperature dropped.

Another loud crack drew Rin's eyes upward. Gasping in horror, she saw the shield beginning to break apart. Even though she was far back into the cave, the overwhelming heat that came rushing in, raised blisters on her skin. She saw her lord turn toward her.

Rocks came crashing down around her. Suddenly, Inu Yasha, her lord's younger brother, was there. Arms out stretched, he strained to hold back the cave wall that was threatening to collapse. Rin thought she heard her lord call her name, but she couldn't be sure. Kagome crouched at her side, clutching her tightly, trying vainly to protect her. Rin realized that they were going to die. Inu Yasha growled as smoke curled from beneath his claws, the cave wall had become super-heated. The acrid stench of burning flesh caused Rin to gag as it assaulted her senses.

"Inu Yasha." Kagome whimpered, her voice laced with fear as she stared at his burning hands.

Frozen in terror, Rin didn't immediately feel the vine that writhed along the wall behind her, pulsing with energy.A slender tendril coiled around her ankle. Rin's eyes went wide as power raced through her. She felt desperation, and rage emanating from the vine, demanding release. Demanding vengeance. Rin hissed in surprise at the sheer intensity of it.

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Thryss fully armored herself as she raced over to the demon, who had knelt beside Kephren. Sesshomaru's head whipped around as the cave began to give way under the intense heat, collapsing on those remaining inside. The demon started to rise, his eyes on the crumbling cave.

Another wave of heat was nearly upon them. Thryss knew she needed to shield them now. Placing the demon under a psionic hold, she summoned her armor. Gigantic black wings sprouted from her back completely encasing them in the black metal. Kephren did the same, creating an inner barrier.

"There is no time." Thryss said, meeting the demon's furious gaze. She saw the pain behind the anger, he knew he wasn't going to be able to save the others, and that knowledge was tearing him apart.

The heat intensified rapidly beginning to overwhelm their armor's ability to protect them so that they hissed in pain. Suddenly the heat was gone and in its place waves of energy overwhelmed them. A massive rush of energy roared past them, pushing away the fire.

Inu Yasha was in the midst of extricating himself and Kagome from the rubble when the back-lash hit them. The boy's startled cry was lost in the tidal wave of energy that slammed into him. Scrambling unsuccessfully for something to hold onto, Inu Yasha flailed wildly before crashing into a tangled mass of trees. The boy dazedly lifted himself from the ground, to see Kagome lying across the rocky debris, gingerly touching a cut on her temple that was bleeding profusely.

Thryss and Kephren stared at each other. What had happened? Cautiously pulling the armor back, they looked around, searching for the source.

A disbelieving sound from the demon made Thryss look up. He was staring in open-mouthed astonishment at something behind her.

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Dark hair whipped uncontrollably around the child as she stood atop the remains of the cave. Staring into the oncoming fire, she narrowed her eyes in determination. Power roared out from her, leveling everything in its path, including the fire of the oncoming attack. Reaching down, Rin extended her hand to the vine that was slithering along the rubble. Stretching out from the debris, the vine met Rin's outstretched hand, coiling around her wrist. Green light pulsed brightly along it sinuous surface, answering the child's demand for power.

Immense energy flowed into Rin, growing in intensity until it reached an explosive level. Turning her attention to the line of oncoming ships, Rin narrowed her eyes once more. The burgeoning power erupted violently. A wave of destructive energy surged forth uncontrollably, eliminating everything in its path.

"Thyrss!" Kephren shouted, "We need to direct her energy, she can't control it."

Thryss nodded, darting over to where Rin stood. As she closed the distance, Thryss was astounded at the sheer power that was gathering around the child. Quickly raising a shield to deflect the exploding energy, Thryss was unprepared for the monstrous force of the blast. Struggling to control the unfamiliar energy, Thryss found herself being pushed backwards as she was buffeted by the tremendous force. An expression of disbelief crossed her face as she lost control of the blast, which ricocheted wildly.

Kephren watched in amazement as Thryss lost control of the destructive wave. Realizing he would need to assist her, the Talisian supported himself against a large bolder opposite the child, and prepared to help focus the attack. As Rin's energy spiked again, they were able to successfully deflect the wave of energy, pointing it at the oncoming ships.

The force of the blast ripped through the ships, tearing apart the line. Thyrss raised an eyebrow at the undeniable effectiveness of the power Rin wielded.

"Where's the power coming from?" Sesshomaru shouted against the roar of the volatile energy.

"She's drawing it from the citadel." Thryss answered, eying the black vines that were snaking their way along the child's small frame.

They directed several more blasts, but the armies were too numerous for them to make any real progress. Kephren trotted around, coming to stand beside them.

"Demon, try using black fire the next time her energy spikes." Kephren shouted.

"Why?"

"Her energy may amplify the strength of the fire. Enabling us to take out a larger number of the ships." the Talisian explained, moving away to resume his prior position.

Sesshomaru drew his sword, black flames licking along the blade. At the Talisian's nod he lifted the sword, sending out a plume of black fire. At the same time, Kephren and Thryss directed Rin's energy so that it collided with the flames.

Black fire exploded within the wave of energy, growing exponentially as it ripped through the air. Powerful plumes of fire, shot through the lines of ships, extending upward and outward. The black fire consumed, and completely extinguished the liquid fire that had been raining down a moment before.

On the ground the small group of companions shaded their eyes as the sky seemed to catch fire. Row after row of ships were caught in black flames. Explosions rocked the ground, sending vibrations through the earth. Thousands of ships shattered, their gleaming black shapes crystallized by the black fire. All around them, ships slammed into the earth, carving huge craters in the land. Then everything went silent. The lines of remaining ships stopped moving, just hovering above them.

Rin shook her head as the vine released her. She swayed a little, getting her balance as her head began to clear. The sound of Kephren's voice drew her attention.

"It is the Foremost, do not attack." Kephren called, motioning for them to stand down. Satisfied that he would be obeyed, the Talisian turned his attention back to the rapidly approaching figure.

A single ship detached from the rest, speeding toward them. The ship circled overhead stopping just above them. Sesshomaru tilted his head back, studying the strange craft. The body of the thing seemed to bend or flex, allowing a smaller shape to exit from the sharp fold in the bottom. Gliding gracefully down on silver wings, the being landed in front of them.

The creature was female, but unlike Kephren her skin was an icy blue color, and her armor was silver. She had the same pupiless silver eyes, and gleaming silver hair as Kephren, and the extraordinary beauty that seemed to be a prerequisite for the race. The demon frowned, she didn't look particularly strong. Her shape was small and slender, to the point of delicacy. She stepped forward, her eyes on Kephren.

"Who are you, that you dare challenge the Foremost of the Imperial Guard?" Raising a slender hand, she released Kephren's black bird-like creature, which promptly fluttered over, and absorbed back into his armor.

"I am Kephren, an ancient of the Imperial Guard, and I challenge you as one who is better suited to command."

**Authors Note:** Bwa haha, doom and gloom. The world as we know has come to an end! I just love global catastrophe stuff. Hope you liked my destructive streak.

**06-Lost-In-Eternal-Bliss-15**: Thanks for nice review. Hope you liked this latest chapter. I am trying to keep the tension going!:)

**Mistress Ayako**: I tried to email you, but I not sure if it got to you. Let me know if you didn't get it. Poor Kephren, I am not done with him yet, so spare a little sympathy for the Talisian, he is in for a hard time. :)

**Rhetorical-Ducky:** You caught me. Well, I didn't read "Hitchhikers Guild to the Galaxy", but probably just about everything else; you know, plagues, earthquakes, tidal waves, asteroids, etc...sigh...oh well, it can't be helped. Things are changing in the world of Inu Yasha, but Sesshomaru still cares for Rin, but Rin's dysfunctional family growing! :) PS. I like the long reviews. Lets me know I have your interest!

**Hinatinha:** Thank you for the kind review. It makes my day to know that my story is being enjoyed. :)


	34. Chapter 34

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha

Chapter 34 Challenge

Astarte, Foremost of the Imperial Guard, and commander of the Talisian armies silently studied the strange warrior. Her silver eyes widened as she recognized him.

"I saw your remains, yet here you are, challenging me." she came closer, circling the enigma in front of her, "You cannot be the Kephren I knew, so who are you?"

"One who knows the truth." Kephren answered.

"What truth is it that you think you know?"

"This world is protected." he stated.

Astarte stopped, her eye's gleaming dangerously, "Protected? You dare to infer that I have broken Talisian Law?"

Kephren didn't answer as he met her gaze squarely. Astarte stopped in front of him, tilting her head back to meet his eyes, "It is a dangerous accusation." she murmured.

"Fact is not an accusation." he answered coldly.

A curious expression crossed her face, "I do not see how this affects you. Even though you are obviously not the Kephren I know, you are undoubtedly him. This world has no value. I give you permission to assume the position of your other self. Join us." The offer was generous.

"The people I know are not so weak."

Astarte's pupiless silver eyes narrowed dangerously, "So be it. The law states that a challenge against the Foremost must be justified. By what means will you justify this challenge?"

Kephen's features hardened, "I charge that the Foremost is not fit to command as she has broken Talisian Law."

"What proof do you have? This is a grave accusation."

Kephren looked steadily at Astarte. If he could not prove his claim, his death would be _most_ unpleasant. One did not bring an unsubstantiated claim against the Foremost. "A citadel exists on this world." he announced.

"Impossible, the signal was not encoded."

"The citadel is a remnant left by the ancients, and in ruins. The encoding has doubtless been degraded."

"Do you take me for a fool?" Astarte hissed, unleashing a frightening wave of energy that knocked the Talisian off his feet. Kephren's eyes widened at Astarte's unexpected reaction. She knew. She knew and had attacked anyways!

"You were aware that the signal was degraded." he said, shock etched in his features.

"The encoding was missing." So they had set about eliminating a world that was not in decline.

"This world is not in decline, you know the signs." Kephren snarled, getting to his feet.

"You can prove your claim?" Astarte queried.

Kephren frantically tried to think what he could use as proof. The citadel was deep underground, and the fact that she was following orders, even incorrectly, was not reason enough for a challenge.

"You have no proof." Astarte smirked, moving closer to him. "I always favored the Kephren that served among the guard, but I obviously could not claim an Imperial Guard. You are different. Perhaps I shall claim you. I have often wondered what it would be like to play with your other self. It looks like I may come away with more than I expected."

The self-satisfied tone, set Kephren's teeth on edge. Claim him? Unthinkable, he was no one's property.

"Do you lay claim?" Thyrss's cold voice broke through the silence.

Astarte jerked around, her jaw dropping as she noticed Thryss for the first time. Fascinated, Astarte's gaze slowly wondered over the half-blood. "Had I not seen it, I would not have believed it possible. You are not a full blood, yet you are Imperial Guard."

"Do you lay claim?" Thryss repeated, meeting the eyes of the Foremost.

Astarte glanced at Kephren then back at Thryss, "Either I claim him, or he dies. He has no proof to support his challenge."

"I support his challenge. I have seen the citadel." Thryss answered emotionlessly. "Talisian Law has been broken."

A multitude of dark shapes broke away from the hovering line of ships, landing gracefully around them. The Imperial Guard had come to witness the challenge. Thryss breathed an inward sigh of relief. The guard being here meant they took Kephren's challenge seriously.

One of the guard stepped forward, "Explain your reason for challenging the Foremost." he commanded.

"This is a protected world. To destroy this world breaks the law." Kephren stated simply.

"Is this true?" the guard asked, turning toward Astarte.

"The signal was not encoded."

"Then your challenge has no truth. Though you are not from our world, you are bound by our laws." the guard said, his silver eyes flat, and hard as he moved toward Kephren. "You will return to Talis for judgment."

Kephren silently seethed in outrage. Despite the fact that all the denizens of Talis were subject to Talisian Law, including the Foremost, he knew that Astarte's word wouldn't be questioned. It made no difference what the truth was; if Astarte denied it, the warriors of Talis would not doubt her. The Foremost of the Imperial Guard was obeyed without question. He would need something that could not ignored in order for the Imperial Guard to subject her to Talisian law. The problem was that even though she was knowingly breaking the law, it would be extremely difficult to prove.

"What is going on?" Sesshomaru queried, not understanding the language.

Thryss pressed her lips together angrily, "They are dismissing Keff's challenge because of the lack of evidence. Astarte is manipulating them, she means to claim him."

The demon looked askance.

"One who has been claimed is owned. On our world she desired him, but Keff did not return her interest. According to Talisian Law, the Foremost cannot claim an Imperial Guard, but Keff does not belong to this world."

"She means to make him her slave?" the demon said incredulously.

"Slave? Yes, that would be comparable to being claimed." Thryss agreed.

Sesshomaru who had been watching the bizarre scene, shook his head at the unexpected turn of events, "So she would sacrifice a world merely to satisfy her desire for him?" The demon inquired in distaste.

The unexpected voice of an outsider made the guard stop, and turn his attention to the demon. Seeing the black clothing, the guard's previously stony expression gave way to one of confusion. Leaving Kephren, he walked to demon, examining the shining black cloth, "How is this possible?"

The other Imperial Guard that had been standing back, drew closer to their companion to see what had caught his interest. Sesshomaru found himself in a uniquely annoying situation as the beautiful creatures walked around him, marveling at his apparel. To have so many individuals approach him without the slightest indication of fear irritated the demon lord immensely. It was Kephren who inadvertently spared the demon the indignity of further examination.

"The armor belonged to my other self. It_ chose _him." Kephen informed the curious warriors who were circling the demon.

At Kephren's words, the Talisians looked at him in unison, disbelief written across their unnaturally perfect features_. Never_ had such a thing happened.

"This has no bearing on your challenge." Astarte said coldly.

"This is true." the guard said, reluctantly moving away from the demon lord.

Astarte's silver eyes glinted cruelly, "I will spare you the death you deserve. I lay claim to you."

Revulsion flashed across Kephren's face. Hiding the sickening feeling that had lodged in his stomach, he calmly met the eyes the Foremost. They would fight, but it would not be for the life of this world, instead it would be for him. He slanted a look to the side as Thryss stepped forward, her words filling him with horror.

"I challenge your claim." Thryss announced, breaking the silence.

A vicious smile crept across the face of the Foremost, "How unusual. Still if you wish to die by my hand, so be it." she said, attacking.

Thryss called up her weapons, blocking the first blow. Although challenges were fought primarily without using psionic attacks, when it came to taking on someone like Astarte it didn't matter. Thryss quickly realized exactly how outmatched she was.

She was blocking most of the blows, but the Foremost was playing with her. Thryss gritted her teeth in frustration, if she used any offensive or defensive psionic power, the Imperial Guard would step in, eliminating her. No one broke Talisian Law and lived. This was the one thing that all beings of Talis knew.

Astarte broke through Thryss' defense, grabbing her by the throat and flinging her against the ruined cave. Adjusting her armor to lesson the blow, Thryss slammed into the rocks, the force if the impact sending tremors through the stone. Painfully dragging herself upright, Thryss threw out her hand, sending slender shards of black metal flying toward the Foremost. Astarte smirked, easily knocking the darts aside. With a movement to quick to follow she pinned Thryss to the jagged rocks, pulling her hand back for a death blow. Thryss struggled ineffectively, knowing she was looking death in the face, but helpless to do anything to avoid it.

Sesshomaru snarled, starting to move in Thryss' direction. A restraining hand on his arm made him turn toward Kephren, the angry growl died in his throat at the Talisian's tormented expression.

"We cannot interfere." the tremendous effort it took for the Talisian to stand by and watch was written clearly on his face, "To intervene would break Talisian Law. That would mean certain death for Thryss, us, and your world." The demon met Kephren's agonized gaze, and nodded stepping back. This helplessness was costing the Talisian dearly.

Thryss' eyes focus on the upraised hand poised above her. The silver armor had elongated into long thin spines. The armor of the Foremost was different, stronger and more difficult to control. It was also the only alloy on Talis that chose it bearer. The position held by the Foremost hinged upon the armor's acceptance. If the armor did not accept the winner, the warrior was put to death, and another challenge was permitted. Fortunately the armor generally accepted the champion.

An enraged scream rent the air. Pausing in surprise, Astarte looked around for the source of the ear-piercing sound. The jagged stone behind Thryss began to tremble, boulders broke loose and came careening down the mountain. Astarte released Thryss, and moved back, wanting to know who was foolish enough to interrupt the challenge.

Deep cracks formed, spreading and widening as they crawled down the mountain. The ground shook violently, large chunks of earth caved in leaving gaping holes in the hillside. The shaking increased as unrestrained savage energy began leaking through.

Sesshomaru raced to Thryss, catching her as she collapsed. Swinging her into his arms, he darted over to Kephren, who was motioning for them to follow.

"We need to get Thryss away from the Foremost." Kephren shouted, sprinting to where Rin stood by the cave looking dazed. Scooping up the child, the Talisian raced down the mountain, Sesshomaru close on his heels. Glancing back, he could make out the demon's sibling following close behind carrying the human girl. Skidding to halt once they had put some distance between them and the Foremost, Kephren turned, looking up the sheer cliff to where Astarte was trying to locate the source of the unfamiliar power.

The Talisian started as he felt the child's energy begin to spike. She was absorbing the violent energy that was swirling around them. Placing a dark finger under her chin, he tilted her head back, meeting her eyes, "You must not release it."

Rin stared back round eyed as she tried to rein in the powerful force. She took a deep breath, concentrating on not letting it go. It was no use, she was losing control. Rin's dark eyes pleaded with Kephren for help, she didn't know what to do.

"Look at me." he commanded, "Expel the energy in the same way you would expel a breath that you had been holding." Rin sucked in a deep breath, holding it, then letting it go all at once. Energy rushed out, dissipating harmlessly as it left her body. Sighing in relief, she leaned her head against his shoulder. It had been really close. She had almost lost control again, and the possibility that she might hurt her friends terrified her.

Malevolent energy radiated from the mountain, frightening in its intensity. The ground trembled then shook convulsively, almost knocking the small group off their feet. The mountain began to crumble, entire cliffs cracked, then slowly gave way in a deafening roar. Tons of earth, rocks, and plant life came crashing down. A cloud of dust, engulfed the small group watching wide-eyed from the base of the mountain. As the dust cleared, they could see the towers of the citadel protruding from the remains of the mountain.

Inu Yasha approached, his golden eyes widening at the overwhelmingly malevolent energy that was surrounding them. "Do you feel that?" he asked, looking around uneasily.

Sesshomaru ignored the half-breed as he scanned the area for the source of the energy. The demon frowned as he found nothing to warrant the amount of energy pouring off the mountain. A soft sound from Thryss distracted the demon lord.

"Why did you interfere?" Thryss demanded, wriggling irritably within his grasp.

"Stop struggling." the demon commanded, returning his gaze to the citadel, and the potentially new threat.

A massive wave of energy hit them, making Thryss' eyes widen at its maliciousness. Disbelief replaced surprise as she realized the tremendous force had not come from the Foremost, even more disturbing was the fact that it wasn't even Talisian in origin.

"What is that?" Thryss whispered.

"I believe it is a demonic aura, but no_ one _demon could manifest such power." Sesshomaru answered, a distracted expression on his face as he stared at the pale towers.

Power shot explosively out of the citadel, rapidly expanding and growing. The ground shifted, groaning in protest as the intense energy strained the already damaged earth. A figure slowly became visible, standing in the midst of the violent force, staring at the Foremost of the Imperial Guard.

Astarte gasped in shock as the newcomer turned to regard her for an instant before closing the distance impossibly fast, bringing himself face-to-face with her.

The dirt under her feet actually shifted as the air shimmered with the barely contained fury. Gleaming talons pierced Astarte's skin. Lifting her off the ground by her bleeding wounds, he demanded, "Why has your worthless race returned to this world?"

**Authors Note:** ONE MORE CHAPTER TO GO!! Hopefully I will have the last chapter up by the end of next week. It may take a bit more time, so if you don't see it on Wednesday or Thursday, don't worry. As soon as I finish it, I will post it.

**Mistress Ayako:** I just wanted to say thanks once more. I like to draw too and I know how much work goes into it. I have thought about trying to draw Kephren and Thryss, but am not sure I could put on paper what I see in my mind. I am so happy I scared you! I was hoping I was descriptive enough! :)

**06-Lost-In-Eternal-Bliss-15**: Cool, creating pictures is what I was aiming for. You can thank my sister for bringing Rin into the battle, that was her idea. I think it worked out quite well. :)

**MissQuigley:** You missed three chapter? Well you did check back. So all is well. I hope I didn't disappoint. :)

**ColdHeartedVixen:** He he he, I know. I'm bad. :o

**Adeaneri**: Wow! Three days? I thrilled you enjoyed it enough to keep going for that long! I know what you mean about a good story being dropped. I have seen it happen too many times, but I don't want to do that. Lemons and limes. I am so out it. One of these days I will learn all what all the different terms mean. You want to how bad it is? I had to ask what "LOL" meant! :)

**Rhetorical-Ducky:** Angelfreak is humbled by Ducky's speaklessness. :)

**Trunks lover:** So...have you made it this far? If your still with me, I hope you enjoyed the rest of the story. :)


	35. Chapter 35

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha

Chapter 35 Resolution

"Nexus" Rin whispered, staring wide-eyed at the bird-demon that was towering menacingly over Astarte.

Sesshomaru's gaze slid over to the child still held by the Talisian. "This is the demon you saw in your dream?"

Rin nodded vigorously, "Oh yes, I couldn't forget someone like Nexus."

"Nexus? As in the Nexus all those scary stories are about?" Inu Yasha interrupted.

"It would seem so." Sesshomaru answered absently, intent on the drama unfolding on the mountain.

Rin glanced up to find Kephren transfixed by Nexus. "Do you know him?" the child asked, startling the Talisian.

"I have never seen him before." Kephren frowned thoughtfully, "But the power coming off him exceeds even that of the Foremost."

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Astarte gaped at the talons piecing her flesh. The metal of her armor was impenetrable, this wound should have been impossible. Her armor had never failed her. The possibility of it being unresponsive was unthinkable. Focusing her eyes on the creature, she measured his power. The silver eyes went wide as she realized she was facing a strength on par with her own. Who was this creature? How was it possible for someone with this degree of might go undetected?

With a flick of his wrist, Nexus sent her flying into the rubble that lay behind her. He sauntered slowly over to where she had landed. Looming over her, he had to lean down slightly to address her, "I am going to enjoy this." he waited as she regained her footing.

The Foremost studied the creature, determining what would be the most effective attack. Deciding, she attacked without hesitation. Pulling back her hand, she commanded her armor to assume her favored weapon, a deadly star ringed by a razor sharp circle. It didn't respond. Fighting her growing panic, Astarte instinctively improvised sending out a tremendous wave of energy. Dust billowed up as the attack ripped through the ground flattening everything around them. As the energy subsided, Astarte's eyes widened in disbelief as she realized the creature was unharmed.

Nexus laughed, a cold harsh sound. Then he was there, slicing into her skin with incredibly sharp talons.

"Who are you?" The inquiry spilled from her lips almost without her knowing it.

"An abomination like you. Can't you sense it? That vile blood we both carry. Though yours is far more diluted than mine." The demon's copper eyes flashed, the iris rapidly expanding then contracting.

Looked into the hate-filled copper eyes, she demanded "What are you talking about?"

"You don't know? Has it been so long?" the demon asked.

The dark figures of the Imperial Guard were moving to surround them, but Nexus paid them no heed. Breathing in sharply, his eyes once again flashed as he seemed to come to a conclusion. "They're dead." he realized.

Astarte frowned at his statement.

"The accursed race that created us. They are dead aren't they?" the demon growled.

"Created? What madness is this?" Astarte demanded as Nexus' deadly grip tightened, the talons digging deeper into her flesh.

"Has it been so long, that your people don't know?" he asked in suppressed rage.

"What is it that I am supposed to know?"

The demon laughed, a cruel humorless sound, "Tell me, what do you think you are?"

"I am Astarte, Foremost of the Imperial Guard. Leader of the most powerful race in existence."

"You are a fool. Your race is descended from an experiment performed by the true race of Talis. You are nothing more than manufactured servants, to do the bidding of the true Talisians." Nexus sneered.

"You lie." she hissed.

"Can't you feel it? Our blood demanding that only one of us, the strongest, survive?" Nexus demanded, hate evident in his the set of his face.

Astarte was silent for a moment, mulling over what he had said. She agreed that only one would survive, but that had nothing to do with his ridiculous story. Getting impatient, Astarte pulled back sharply, using her feet as leverage to push against his chest. With a quick movement she twisted free, jumping back. She needed to end this. The air crackled, electricity sparking around her as she released the energy held within her. Intense power flowed through the earth beneath her feet, the rubble lifting off the ground as the energy swirled beneath it. Suddenly the power stopped building, and Astarte paused, an alarmed expression crossing her face.

Astarte lurched forward, stumbling, and nearly falling as she desperately clutched at her throat. She gasped, a watery gurgling sound. Her eyes bulged as she looked around wildly. The silver armor began to move across her skin of its own accord, causing the Imperial Guard who had begun to approach to back up in surprise. A harsh rasping sound came out of her throat as she clawed at the armor that raced along her neck. Bright streams of blood flowed freely from where her nails had tried to dislodge the armor.

Nexus stood silently watching, making no move. A faint breeze ruffled the dark feathers lying on his shoulders. With a quick shake of his head he settled them back into place, watching intently.

The members of the Imperial Guard moved forward, skirting the demon as they closed in on the Foremost. Astarte was on her knees, clawing at her face. They stopped abruptly, back-pedaling in shock as the silver armor began sliding off her body.

The armor pooled on the ground under Astarte, who writhed in agony. Silver leaked from her eyes, ears, nose and mouth as the armor drained from her. Once free of the Foremost, the armor began to take shape. The silver liquid formed a column, bulging and rippling until it took a shape similar in appearance to the Talisians.

The silver being turned to the members of the Imperial Guard, who were staring in astonishment. Moving with unearthly grace the silver creature approached Nexus considering him for a moment, then turned toward the convulsing figure on the ground.

Astarte looked up through a haze of pain as she watched the armor walk over to her. Why had it turned on her? The silver being stared down at her, nothing resembling emotion showing on the perfect shining features. The armor extended a hand.

Threads of silver shot off the gleaming fingers, sliding and spreading over Astarte's skin. The strings of silver writhed along Astarte's body until she was covered in a cocoon-like net of thread. The silver fibers began to tighten, biting into her flesh.

"Why?" the feeling of betrayal evident in the pain-filled cry.

The armor stopped, holding her motionless in its silver web. It stared at her for moment, then spoke.

"You could feel our blood in the other. You knew then that this is a world of great significance, yet you would have destroyed it." the wind-like voice had a scratchy metallic quality to it that was like nothing the Foremost had ever heard.

"What do you mean?" Astarte croaked painfully.

"I am the last remaining part of the true rulers of Talis. Their genetic material was fused with the sentient alloy to create us. We contain the knowledge and memories of those who came before. It is our responsibility to maintain the directives. We are the only true law, and our word is final. You have knowingly broken the Law. Eliminating the problem is the most effective solution."

A scream of pure agony was ripped from Astarte as the threads mercilessly began to tighten.

The members of the Imperial Guard moved closer, bearing witness to Talisian justice. They watched dispassionately as the fibers of silver cut into Astarte's flesh. A river of blood flowed from the Foremost as the fibers worked their way through her, pushing her flesh through the shining mesh. Her screams echoed hideously, making the small group watching below wince at the horrific sound.

The guard watched as Astarte, unable to scream any longer, begged them with her eyes to end her torment, but the Law had been broken, and they knew no one escaped Talisian Law. Not even the Foremost of the Imperial Guard.

As the last vestige of life drained from the Foremost, the shining fibers withdrew, returning to the armor. The silver being silently examined its former host, before turning away dismissively, and focusing its attention on Kephren.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Sesshomaru silently digested what passed for Talisian justice. He had seen any number of atrocities in his life, but this was different. There was a coldness, an indifference to it that turned the demon's stomach. He understood violence, and cruelty. It was lack of emotion he couldn't comprehend. The warriors had watched the entire process without the slightest hint of emotion. There was nothing; no disgust, no enjoyment, no horror, no fear, nothing. It was unnerving.

The sound of Kephren's voice broke into the demon's thoughts.

"Take the child, and leave this place." something in the grim quality of the Talisian's voice made him look over. Kephren was holding out Rin, who was silently crying. His stony expression made the demon cock a questioning brow.

"There is no time demon." the Talisian hissed impatiently, his sliver eyes slanting sideways. Following the Kephren's gaze, Sesshomaru saw the living armor moving in their direction.

"What does it want?" the demon lord inquired, taking the child.

"I may have broken the Law demon. Take Thryss and leave." There was an uncharacteristic edge of desperation in the Talisian's wind-like voice. It made the demon frown.

"You are to suffer the same fate?" for some unfathomable reason the idea did not please him.

"I believe so." Kephren said tersely, spinning around, and walking away from them.

Sesshomaru grabbed Thryss' arm as she made to follow Kephren, "He told you not to follow."

"I will not leave him to their mercy. I am the reason he is here." Thryss cried, the pain in her voice clawed at him uncomfortably.

"You once told me it was insulting to aid another."

Thryss turned to regard him out of tormented eyes, "I will not let them have him." she said with finality.

"Then I will accompany you." placing Rin on the ground, he motioned for her to remain with Inu Yasha, who had turned a rather shocking shade of green. Looking in the direction of Thryss' suicidal companion, Sesshomaru muttered, "I never thought the day would come when I would actually attempt to save that fool's life."

As they neared, Kephren wheeled on them angrily, "Have you come to enjoy the show demon?"

"I come, much against my better judgment, to save your pitiful life." the demon snorted. Kephren blinked in surprise, and for once didn't have a comeback. Nodding grimly he turned back to face the embodiment of Talisian Law, which was rapidly approaching them.

The gleaming figure stopped a few feet in front of Kephren, expressionless silver eyes silently regarding him.

"What law have I broken?" Kephren inquired.

"You have broken no law." the armor replied.

"Then why do mean to destroy me?" he asked frowning.

"I have not come to destroy you. I have come to claim you as my new host." Kephren reeled in shock. Claim him as its host?

"I do not understand." Kephren said cautiously.

"You were aware of this world's importance. You braved almost certain death, in an attempt to uphold the law. In your challenge, you once claimed to be one who was better suited to command. I accept your claim as worthy, and choose you to replace my prior host."

"You are choosing me to replace the Foremost?" Kephren asked in disbelief.

"That is correct." Having made its announcement, the armor liquefied, splashing onto the ground and slithering toward an exceeding nervous Kephren.

"No!" Thryss' horrified cry rang in Kephren's ears as the armor reached his feet, sliding over his skin and up his body.

Kephren gasped in pain, crying out as the silver armor merged with his black armor. His body convulsed, causing him to fall to the ground, shivering uncontrollably.

Thyrss broke the demon's hold, and raced to where her companion lay shaking on the ground. Tears ran down her face unheeded as she leaned over him. She watched helplessly as the silver metal absorbed into his body.

A short time later he stopped shaking, and drew an unsteady breath. The silver metal slid out of his skin slowly, gracefully highlighting his black armor. Pushing himself slowly off the ground, Kephren noticed that both Sesshomaru and Thryss were anxiously hovering over him.

"Demon, I didn't know you cared!" the Talisian crowed triumphantly. He moved carefully, though, as he still didn't feel quite like himself.

Sesshomaru stifled the totally unexpected feeling of relief that washed over him, "Hm." he said, moving back, now that it seemed likely the annoying thing would live.

Thryss pounced on Kephren, nearly knocking him back down again, "Don't you ever do anything so stupid again!" she hissed, wrapping her arms tightly around him.

Kephren reached up with a dark finger, catching a tear that had rolled down her face, "I don't believe I have ever seen you show such weakness." he chided, studying the tear with interest.

Thryss scowled, "I would not be in such a state if I had an intelligent companion." she retorted sourly.

Kephren grinned, pulling her close. Bringing his lips to her ear, he whispered softly, "I am sorry to have distressed you, it was the only way." Thryss pressed her forehead against his shoulder, letting go of the anxiety that had been eating away at her.

"I believe our problems have not entirely disappeared." the demon remarked. Curious to see what he caught Sesshomaru's attention, they followed his gaze to where the Imperial Guard were beginning to surround Nexus.

Kephren made an exasperated noise, "Remind me never, _never_ to follow you into a rift again." he groaned, watching the increasingly agitated bird-demon.

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Astarte, Foremost of the Imperial Guard, was dead. The Talisian warriors gathered around her body, committing to memory the price she had paid for breaking Talisian Law. It was a price none of them ever wanted to pay. Turning in unison they abandoned the now dead Foremost, and regarded the outsider that had interfered with the challenge. He would need to be eliminated. There was no need for an order to be given, they knew what was expected of them, so there was no hesitation as they moved in for the kill.

Fanning out in standard formation they surround their intended victim. The guard paused to study the outsider. Talisians by nature were not a small people, but this creature towered over them. Despite how heavily muscled the creature was, they had seen him move with surprising speed. They wondered what the purpose of the feathers were that laid sleekly against his head; the long talons that tipped his fingers they could understand, but feathers? The creature snarled, a harsh, grating sound. A mental decision passed quickly through the guard. Immediately in tune to one another they converged on the outsider.

Nexus stood his ground, waiting for the attack he could feel was coming. The abominations circled the demon, inspecting him. The falcon's eyes flashed angrily as the feathers along his neck smoothed to make him more aerodynamic. The one thing the falcon had that was truly amazing was speed. As the abominations dove toward him, Nexus shot upwards, lightening fast. Landing outside the ring of warriors, he unleashed an ear-shattering scream.

As one, the Talisians clutched their head as the piecing sound knifed into their brain. Fighting the horrific sound, the Imperial Guard called up their weapons, preparing to rip this impudent outsider apart. They barely saw him move, but the falcon was suddenly in their mist, lashing out at them with wickedly sharp talons. The guards' armor defended, attempting to shield them from the attack, yet the falcon's speed exceeded the Talisians' mental control. Unbelievably fast, Nexus stuck again and again, ripping, slashing, and tearing. Soon the warriors were bleeding from dozens of wounds. Nexus stepped back, the muscles of his back tensing. The Talisians cautiously surrounded the demon as they felt energy begin to surge around them. With a sudden decisive move they attacked as one. A wall of sheer rage slammed into them, throwing them back. Before they could even regain their feet another monstrous wave of hateful energy lashed out.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Rin stood by Inu Yasha biting her lip nervously. She watched as Nexus struck out at the dark warriors. He was hurting them, but still they came.

"No." Rin whimpered, she hated seeing people get hurt. She wanted it to stop. She had seen enough suffering.

"Don't look." Rin's eyes darted to Inu Yasha who was crouching in front of her. She saw concern in the golden eyes that looked so much like her lord's. The boy started, staring at her intensely. "Um, hey kid, what happened to your eyes?"

Rin blinked, focusing her silver-stained eyes on the half-breed, "My eyes?" she echoed blankly.

Kagome kicked Inu Yasha, giving him a meaningful look.

"Whaddya kick me for?" he squawked.

"Inu Yasha..." Kagome started to answer then stiffed, her eyes widening in alarm.

Following her gaze, the boy saw Nexus walking away from the Talisians that lay bleeding on the ground. The demon looked up, sniffing the air. His eyes settled on Kephren, who was slowly getting to his feet. Losing interest in the fallen warriors, the falcon started toward the new Foremost.

Rin made a small distressed sound before shaking off the boy and racing toward Nexus. The sound of Inu Yasha's frantic cry fell on deaf ears, Rin's only concern were the lives of her family.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Kephren slowly, painfully struggled to his feet. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt this bad. A humorless smile twisted his lips as he watched Nexus make a bee-line for him. He was beginning to think that maybe should have let the demon kill him a few weeks ago, it would have been far less painful. He sighed ruefully, the only problem was the demon hadn't the strength to kill him. More the pity.

Sesshomaru and Thryss moved to his side, their eyes on the approaching falcon.

"Is there anyone you don't annoy?" the demon's exasperated voice made the Talisian cock an eyebrow.

"You think I am annoying?"

Sesshomaru's reply was cut short as his eyes caught Rin running toward the violent demon. Making an agitated noise, Sesshomaru took off in her direction, hoping to intercept her before she crossed the unpredictable falcon.

Unfortunately for Sesshomaru, Rin was too close to Nexus for him to reach her in time. The demon watched in abject horror as the small fragile child knelt in front of the enraged bird-demon.

Wheezing from exertion, Rin fell to her knees in front of the approaching demon. She saw his taloned feet stop inches from her nose. Rin swallowed uneasily, maybe this hadn't been such a good idea. She heard him breath in before he leaned down, plucking her off the ground. The grass seemed a long, long way down as he lifted her to eye level with him. The copper eyes that had haunted her dreams, flashed as he regarded her. Too scared to move, Rin shivered in his grasp. She had wanted to stop him from hurting anyone else, but had absolutely no idea how to accomplish such a feat.

Nexus breathed in, his copper eyes narrowing, "I know you. How do I know you?" the hissing sound didn't sound so much like a question, as much as an accusation.

"I freed you." Rin's small voice was barely audible.

Nexus tilted his head in a decidedly bird-like movement, "I have no such memory."

"It happened a long time ago. I thought it was dream, but it wasn't. You were held captive by the black vines, in the citadel. There were a lot of other demons, too, and there was a Talisian beside you." she said, her eyes drifting to where the warriors still lay.

Nexus eyes widened, "Impossible. You cannot be her, she would be dust by now."

"I don't know exactly how it happened, but I freed you about two days ago."

Nexus seemed to digest this information. Setting her down, "I promised you my strength." he remembered.

Rin nodded, "It's not your strength that I need."

Nexus waited for her to expand on the enigmatic statement.

Rin took a deep breath, "Please, don't kill my family."

"Family?" Once again the harshness of his voice made it sound like an accusation.

Rin looked to where Kephren stood with Thryss, "They are all I have." she said in a small voice.

"Abomination." he snarled, the copper eyes flashed menacingly at the Talisian. A stifled sob made him glance down at her, "Be thankful you are not one of them." he said indicating Kephren, "or I would end your life also."

Tears streamed down Rin's cheeks. She had failed. Despair settled over the child, making her sink to the ground in misery. A movement by her foot drew her attention. Her eyes rounded as a black vine curled brushed against her.

"Will you help me?" she asked, tentatively touching the vine. The slender black length coiled around her hand. "Stop him. Please, stop him." she sobbed.

Nexus stopped, looking at the ground as a deep rumbling vibrated under his feet. The dirt shifted. Massive black vines shot from the earth, twisting around the falcon. Nexus screamed in fury as the vines constricted him, pulling him down. His eyes shot to the child, who held a small black tendril of the vine.

"Betrayer!" he screamed, "I will rend the flesh from your bones!" The falcon's unrestrained fury made the child cringe, tightening her grip on the vine. As if sensing her danger the thick black length coiled around the enraged demon in a glittering embrace. Slowly, inexorably the vines dragged the screaming falcon toward the citadel.

The citadel had imprisoned the failed experiment from before recorded memory. It would ensure this particular specimen _never_ escaped again. The fact that Nexus would remain conscious, and aware made no difference to the citadel. Its prime directive, given by the ancients, was to imprison the uncontrollable beast until its demise.

Rin covered her face with her hands, wanting to shut out the hate being directed at her. She hadn't wanted to hurt Nexus. She hadn't. Rin jerked back in fear as strong hands lifted her from the ground.

"You fool, you could have been killed!" Rin opened her eyes to see it was her lord who held her. Now that is was over the intense stress, fear, and trauma took its toll. Rin buried her face in the shining black cloth and sobbed for all she was worth.

Kephren and Thryss rushed to the demon lord who held the sobbing child, a befuddled expression on his elegant face. He had absolutely no idea what to do. Kephren stifled a laugh at the childs' unparalleled ability to shake the mighty demon's composure.

Sesshomaru ignored the amused expression on the Talisian's face, as he considered what would be the most effective way to stop the horrible noise the child was making. Nothing came to mind. Well it wasn't like this was something that fit into his quest for power. Looking around helplessly, he spotted the half-breed's human. Purposefully walking over to her, he held out the sobbing child, silently commanding her to do _something_.

Kagome's jaw dropped as a very uncomfortable Sesshomaru held out the traumatized child to her. Reaching out she took Rin from the demon, watching speechlessly as he spun on his heel moving away as quickly as dignity would allow.

Sesshomaru stiffened as he saw the dark figures of the Imperial Guard approaching. Kephren held out a hand, motioning for him to take no action.

These were the most powerful, and the most ancient of the Imperial Guard. Kephren waited silently as they stopped in front him, acknowledging his new rank.

"What are your orders." the one closest inquired.

"This world is protected. Recall the armies. No more harm is to come to this world." Kephren commanded.

The guard nodded, and sent out a psionic message to withdraw.

Sesshomaru watched in amazement, as the ships began pulling away with incredible speed. The precision required to move such a massive fleet was an impressive thing to watch.

The guard hesitated, turning its head in the direction of the child. Looking back to Kephren, he inquired, "A half-blood?" At Kephren's affirmative nod the guard gave into his curiosity, approaching the child.

Kagome looked up just in time to see an entire mob of Kephren-like creatures approaching. So she did what any sane girl would do, she shrieked, jumped to her feet, and ran in the opposite direction. Busy looking over her shoulder, Kagome didn't see that Kephren stood directly in front her. Running full force into his chest, she shrieked again, dropped Rin, and fell to the ground in an ungainly heap. Kephren cocked his head at her incomprehensible behavior, before gripping her arm and pulling her to her feet. Rin stood up as well, brushing the dust and twigs from her kimono, frowning at how dirty it had gotten.

Rin looked up as the Imperial Guard gathered around her curiously.

"What are they doing?" Kagome whispered, afraid to draw their attention.

"They are merely curious." Kephren replied calmly.

One of the guard knelt down in front of the child, touching the pale skin, and dark hair. Rin, deciding that if Kephren let them near her they must be okay, smiled broadly. The guard rocked back on his heels, perplexed by the odd response. Looking over to the new Foremost, the guard gave him a puzzled look. Kephren shrugged, having no explanation for humans. The guard would just have to figure it out on his own.

Kephren actually had to shoo the most powerful warriors in the known universe away from the child. Judging by their fascinated expressions, Kephren suspected that if he didn't take action, they might take a liking to the child, and decide to keep her. The Talisian shook his head at the thought of the awful noise the demon would make if they were to take his pet back to Talis. With the guard successfully sent back to their ships, all he had to do was convince the human female she would have to do without him for a while.

"What do mean, _I will have to do without you for a while?_" Kagome growled, footing tapping impatiently against the dirt.

"What is it you don't understand?" Kephren asked, perplexed.

"Why is it that you think I will wither away without your magnificent presence?" Kagome's dark eyes were beginning to glitter angrily.

"Because there are no others that will compare to me." he said matter-of-factly.

"Of all the conceited, arrogant,..." too outraged to find proper words, the schoolgirl stomped off, dragging Inu Yasha with her. Kephren shook his head. He doubted he would ever understand humans.

Sesshomaru was staring into the distance when Kephren returned with Rin.

"We are leaving." the demon lord announced, moving away.

Rin jogged to catch up with her lord. They were heading toward the castle. A thought occurred to her. "My lord, do you think Master Jaken and Ah Un are alright?" she fretted.

Sesshomaru golden eyes glanced down to meet her worried gaze, "Do not fear." It was then he noticed that he was being followed.

"Why are you still here?" the demon demanded.

"Because I haven't left yet." Kephren answered.

The demon considered unleashing his whip, but decided to be indulgent, there had been enough death for one day. With a disgruntled sound, the demon turned his back on the creature.

Grinning, Kephren trotted alongside him. The demon's eyes slid to the side warily.

"You like me."

"No." The demon's emphatic answer only encouraged the creature.

"You were worried about me." Kephren's silver eyes glinted mischievously.

"Ridiculous." the demon snorted.

"Ah, of course, I had forgotten how shy you are." Kephren said nodding wisely.

"Silence fool." the demon hissed, his good intentions beginning to waver.

Kephren trotted a little faster to keep up with the demon's increasing gait. Closing the distance he wrapped a dark hand around the demon's arm, "Not to worry demon, I won't speak of you weakness." he assured Sesshomaru.

The demon lord, stopped dead in tracks, and looked at Thryss, "Get if off me, or I will have pity and end its miserable life."

Smothering a smile, Thryss grabbed her suicidal companion, pulling him away from the agitated demon lord.

"Behave." she told him.

Kephren gave her an innocent look.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

They could see the shattered remains of the castle as they cleared the last hill. Standing at the crest of the hill, the demon's gaze roamed over what remained of the once beautiful castle. The supporting beams of the main gate still stood, although the huge metal banded doors now hung uselessly from the iron hinges. Most of the great wall had crumbled, with only small sections still standing.

Moving closer, Sesshomaru sadly noted nothing remained standing of the castle itself. Entering the courtyard, he saw the remains of many demons protruding through the rubble. Beside him, Rin remained strangely silent, perhaps too overwhelmed to know how to react. A distressed sound from beside him, drew the demon's golden eyes. Rin had covered her mouth with one hand, staring wide-eyed at a section of the ruined castle. A green webbed foot was barely visible. Rin raced over, trying to shove the huge pieces of rubble off the buried toad. Tears streamed silently down her face as she unsuccessfully pushed at a large wooden beam that had splintered in half.

Sesshomaru made his way to where the child was struggling to free his retainer, "Rin, move back."

Rin turned startled eyes upon the demon, then hurried to obey.

Placing one hand under the beam with must have weighed well over a ton, the demon easily flipped it over without any apparent effort.

Rin quickly rushed to Jaken's side, stroking a green warty cheek. A pudgy green hand waved irritable, "Go away Rin, can't you see I'm busy?" he moaned, obviously still somewhat delusional.

"Master Jaken! You're alive!" Rin squealed, causing the toad to wince and rub his head.

"Jaken, are you injured?" the demon inquired calmly.

Jaken sat up, an expression of sheer anguish crossed the toad's face, "My lord, they are all dead. I couldn't save them. I couldn't save them."

"You did well Jaken, do not concern yourself." The demon lord instructed him. As the toad pulled himself from the rubble, his tormented expression wasn't lost on Sesshomaru. The demon lord looked around at all that had been lost in the battle. So many had died.

"My Lord," the toad inquired, his normal subservience dulled by grief, "what will we do now."

Sesshomaru looked around once more, "We will aid in the healing of this land." he decided.

Jaken gaped at the demon lord, who raised a questioning eyebrow at the stunned expression.

"But what of your quest for power?" Jaken had to ask.

Sesshomaru sighed, his gaze resting on the destroyed castle, "My quest will wait. My land, and my people will not heal quickly. There are more pressing needs than my personal desires."

"Yes, My Lord." the toad said, his respect for his lord growing even more.

"Demon." Kephren voice ruined the moment. Sesshomaru turned irritated eyes on him. Undaunted, Kephren continued, "I believe the child should return with me."

Sesshomaru turned incredulous eyes on the creature.

"You saw the power she wields. Neither you nor Thryss will be able to teach her control."

"No." there was no question in the demon's voice.

"My lord." Rin's small voice broke in, "Please, may I go with him?"

"You wish to return to that place?" Sesshomaru couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Rin nodded, "It will not be the same as before." she hesitated before continuing, "When I used the power in the vines, it was so strong. I couldn't control it. Couldn't control myself. If that happens again, I could hurt or kill someone I don't mean to." she explained, catching her bottom lip between her teeth.

Sesshomaru studied her thoughtfully. She was right, but the thought of sending her back there sickened him. Turning to Kephren, "If I were to allow her to accompany you, can you guarantee her safety?"

Kephren gave the demon an insulted look.

"You truly wish to do this?" the demon inquired.

"Yes, My Lord." Rin said.

"Her safety is in your hands. Fail me and you will die slowly." Kephren supposed that was the demon's way of relenting.

"And let me remind you demon, if you make my companion unhappy, you will return to Talis with me, and I will let my warriors play with you." Kephren promised.

Rin looked from one powerful creature to the other, wondering why they just couldn't be nice to each other. Grown ups could be so weird.

"Come." Kephren said, holding out a hand, which Rin willingly took.

Sesshomaru watched them move away, to be joined by two of the warriors from earlier, "She will be well with him?" he inquired.

Thryss laughed, "You will be able to judge for yourself when they return to visit."

"They?" Sesshomaru had a bad feeling.

"Uh huh, Kephren will want to visit also." The demon turned to her with a stricken expression. Unable to help herself, Thryss laughed at the look on his face.

A sound to the side caught their attention. Sesshomaru noticed that his worthless brother had found the rest of his human companions. The demon grumpily stared at the humans encroaching on his land, and wondered if his life would ever be the same again.

The End.

**Author Notes:** Was the last chapter satisfying? I have a sequel in mind, which I am planning on doing. I would like to know if you would be interested in following this story. It will take place in about ten years, when Rin has become a young woman. I have to work out the summary, but I can tell you it will include all the characters from this story. This will also be a cross-over between the Inu Yasha universe, and the Forgotten Realms universe, specifically, Menzoberranzan, city of the drow (just in case you don't what a drow is; they are evil elves). Anybody like this idea? Myself, I think it sounds fun. Well, let me know.

I plan on posting the next story in 3 - 4 weeks, so if you are interested, just check my homepage. Thanks.

**Frangiani:** You were right! :)

**Pumpkinpi: **If you got this far, I hope you enjoyed the story. :)

**ColdHeartedVixen:** Yes, poor Sesshomaru, he will never know peace again. :)

**RIN14:** Thank you. Do you plan on reading the sequel? :)

**MissQuigley: **Did I surprise you? I didn't know how this was going to end until I finished writing it! :)

**Mistress Ayako:** Oh yeah, it was a long chapter! You want to know who Rin ends up with? That will be in the sequel. Keep guessing, I think it will really, really, surprise you. :)

**06-Lost-In-Eternal-Bliss-15:** Nexus is back! :)

**Adeaneri:** Argh...stress...was it as awesome as the rest of the story? :)

**Missing'Nin'Akiko**: The last chapter is finished! Yeah! I am so glad you enjoyed the story. Thanks for the compliment. :)


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